RFP 12805B20R0013 for Fort Collins Solar Farm (RFP Package - Revised with New Due Date).pdf

FORT COLLINS RESEARCH FARM PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM

USDA ARS FORT COLLINS COLORADO

5021 E County Road 58, Ft Collins CO 80524‐9327

Solicitation # 12805B20R0013

Quotes Originally Due by July 30, 2020 by 5:00PM EST

NOW REVISED DUE DATE: August 13th 11:30am EST

Please send all proposal documents electronically to:

USDA ARS Contract Specialist: Shannon Robbie at the following email:

Shannon.Robbie@usda.gov

PART 1 – THE SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

CLIN # Description Price/Cost

0001 Full Design and Construction of onsite Photovoltaic (PV) systems $__________________

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 ‐ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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.

“Blind Spot Ground Fault Protection” Ground faults occurring within array wiring that are undetectable by inverter ground fault protection (GFP) hardware.

“Avoided Cost” Calculation developed by the Government to account for the value of solar energy produced. See Avoided Cost in Section L for detailed explanation.

“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.

“Contract” The mutually binding legal relationship, resulting from this solicitation, including Sections A‐K 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 “DOE/FEMP” Department of Energy / Federal Energy Management Program “Existing Roof Equipment” Include but are not limited to HVAC, window washing rigging, electrical, lightning arrestors, communications equipment, skylights, vents, and roof drains.

“Electricity Supplier” In states that are deregulated, the supplier of electricity to the agency site which is separate from the “Utility” “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.

“Fire Hazard Severity Zones” means geographical areas that experience high risks for forest fires during significant periods within a calendar year.

“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.

“GFP” Ground Fault Protection “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.

“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.

“Inverter” Devices that convert DC electricity (single or multiphase), either for standalone systems (not connected to the grid) or for utility‐interactive systems, from solar power to AC electricity, for use in the building’s electrical system and/or the grid “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.

“LBNL” Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory “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 “NEM” Net Energy Metering or Net Metering. A special set of interconnection laws in a state government which permit end use customer to operate a renewable energy system in parallel to the utility grid. The act of net metering usually refers to the product of kWh generated minus kWh consumed – the “net” of production and consumption.

“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.

“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.

“Point of Interconnection” or “Point of Delivery” is the point in the electrical system where the generation source combines with the pre‐existing electrical system, and where title to and risk of loss of the electricity passes to ARS. It is generally coincident with the location of the meter measuring solar energy delivery. This term is used by the utility to describe exactly where the solar power is introduced into the building electrical system.

“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 “PTC/CEC” Performance Test Conditions used to qualify modules by California Energy Commission.

“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.

“PVWatts” An online performance calculator for grid connected PV Systems developed by and hosted on the NREL website: https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/ “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.

“Solar RECs (SRECs)” means solar renewable energy certificates as defined above.

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

“System Impact Study” means a study using formal power system design/modeling software that examines effects on government power distribution systems from both a Steady State Analysis and Dynamic Stability perspectives. For the purposes of this solicitation, potential changes refer to the addition and interconnection of intermittent solar PV systems, onsite electrical storage and any related support systems. Serving electrical utilities and state regulators may require separate and detailed interconnection studies that shall be considered separate from the study done on Government owned power distribution systems.

“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 FORT COLLINS RESEARCH FARM PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM project located at 5021 E County Road 58, Ft Collins CO 80524‐9327. The site has two Federally owned metal buildings of approximately 10,000 Square Feet each. There are two Electric revenue meters, one for the two buildings and one for fire protection equipment. The two buildings shall be served by the same array of roof mounted solar panels located on the roof of Building #1 and connected to Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel) account # 53‐3089304. Refer to Section C.4 for more information about the location made available for the solar array at the Fort Collins Research Farm. The two buildings at the site are identified below:

Structure Name Building ID

Shared Facility ‐ Building #1 540202B058

Equipment Storage Building 540202B059

Bid responses will be evaluated partly based on achieving net zero electricity for the site. See Section M “Selection Criteria.” Final designs will be approved by USDA‐ARS managers. Designs may be submitted to Colorado State University for review.

The Contractor, at its own expense, shall furnish all engineering, design, construction, personnel, supervision, facilities, permitting, materials, equipment, transportation, supplies, interconnection impact studies needed, and 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 over the life of the contract period.

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 MINIMUM GUARANTEE

Under this Contract, the Contractor shall provide, design, install, commission and interconnect solar photovoltaic arrays necessary to deliver a guaranteed minimum annual kWh. As described in Section C.8.1, the Weather Corrected Performance Ratio shall be used to calculate system performance.

B.3 SCHEDULE OF ITEMS ‐ CLIN

CLIN Structure Name Building ID Firm Fixed Price for each array

CLIN ITEM 001

BASE BID

Shared Facility ‐ Building #1 roof 540202B058

[END OF SECTION]

SECTION C ‐ DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 GENERAL

The USDA‐Agricultural Research Service seeks to install solar PV systems at 5021 E County Road 58, Ft

Collins CO 80524‐9327. The solar array is to be installed on the roof of Shared Facility ‐ Building #1 and serve buildings #1 and #2 through existing electrical circuits.

Contractor shall provide all labor, material, equipment, engineering, maintenance and capital to design, install, commission, and interconnect solar photovoltaic systems as required herein.

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 Contractor is responsible for ascertaining relevant site conditions in order to verify project feasibility and for determining appropriate system size.

The Government is interested in meeting renewable energy policy goals, so system production is of the essence beyond possible financial savings.

C.2 Description of work:

design and construction of onsite Photovoltaic (PV) systems located at 5021 E County Road 58, Ft Collins CO 80524‐9327. The site has two Federally owned metal buildings of approximately 10,000 Square Feet each. There are two Electric revenue meters, one for the two buildings and one for fire protection equipment. The two buildings shall be served by the same array of roof mounted solar panels located on the roof of Building #1 and connected to Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel) account # 53‐ 3089304

C.2.1 Bonding.

For any award between $35,000 and $150,000 (FAR 28.102‐2 (2)(c)) a Payment Bond will be required – SF‐25A form available from GSA website in Section J. Payment for bond premiums in accordance with Clause 52.232‐5, Payment under Fixed‐Price construction contracts, shall not be in addition to the contract price. Proof of ability to obtain a payment bond is a required part of the proposal submission.

For any award exceeding $150,000, Payment Security shall be provided in accordance with Clause 52.228‐15.

C.2.2 Permits and Licenses.

Pursuant to FAR 52.236‐7 Permits and Responsibilities, the Contractor shall obtain all required permits, licenses, and authorizations to perform work under this contract and comply with all the applicable Federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

C.2.3 Directives, Instructions and References

Only the Contracting Officer shall issue directives/instructions defining the roles and responsibilities and appointment of a Contracting Officer Representative (COR); Location Monitor (LM); Project Manager (PM); Occupational Health & Safety Manager and/or any other functional appointment as deemed necessary for the scope of work.

C.2.4 The Contractor shall manage the total work effort associated with the services required to meet the performance objectives and standards. Such management includes but is not limited to planning, scheduling, cost accounting, report preparation, establishing and maintaining records, and quality control. The Contractor shall provide a staff with the necessary management expertise to assure performance objectives and standards are met.

The Contracting Officer may at any time require Samples, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or Manufacturer’s Data Cut Sheets of Materials used in this contract.

C.2.5 Management The Contractor shall manage the total work effort associated with the services required to meet the performance objectives and standards. Such management includes but is not limited to planning, scheduling, cost accounting, report preparation, establishing and maintaining records, and quality control. The Contractor shall provide a staff with the necessary management expertise to assure performance objectives and standards are met.

C.2.6 Service Interruptions/Utility Outages If any utilities or other services must be discontinued (even temporarily) due to scheduled contract work, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer Representative ten calendar days in advance to allow notification of affected tenants and customers. If the discontinued service is due to an emergency breakdown the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer Representative as soon as practicable.

At a minimum, include the location of the outage, utilities being affected, duration of outage and any necessary sketches. Once approved, and prior to beginning work on the utility system requiring shut down, attend a pre‐outage coordination meeting with the Contracting Officer to review the scope of work and the lock‐out/tag‐out procedures for worker protection. No work will be performed on energized electrical circuits unless proof is provided that no other means exist.

C.2.7 Key Personnel The Contractor shall confirm to the Contracting Officer the List of Key Personnel and their qualifications provided as part of the proposal. The contractor will provide any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer to certify their qualifications.

C.2.8 Employee Requirements The Contractor shall provide experienced, qualified, and capable personnel to perform the work in this contract. Personnel shall be fully knowledgeable of all safety and environmental requirements associated with the work they perform. Competent personnel shall be provided as required.

C.2.8.1 OSHA training requirements shall be strictly enforced prior to the commencement of work. The job superintendent must be an OSHA certified “competent person” with 30 hours of training and all other employees working on the project must have a minimum of 10 hours of OSHA training.

C.2.8.2 The job superintendent/OSHA certified competent person needs to be on site at all times when work is being done.

C.2.8.3 Employee Conduct Contractor employees and Subcontractor employees shall conduct themselves in a proper, efficient, courteous and businesslike manner.

C.2.8.4 Employee Appearance The Contractor shall ensure that all employees present a professional appearance that is appropriate for their position. The Contracting Officer reserves the right to determine the acceptability of any clothing worn. All Contractor/subcontractor employees working under this contract shall be identified by a distinctive nameplate, emblem, or patch attached in a prominent place on an outer garment. Employee identification shall not be substituted for required passes or badges.

C.2.8.5 Removal of Employees The Contractor shall remove from the site any individual whose continued employment is deemed by the Contracting Officer to be contrary to the public interest or inconsistent with the best interests of Agricultural Research Service.

C.3 BioPreferred requirements The Contractor must comply with Sections 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002;

the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008; and the Agricultural Act of 2014; and the Federal Acquisition Regulation to provide biobased products. The Contractor shall also comply with the clause at FAR 52.223‐2, Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts contained in Section I. The Contractor shall also comply with the provision at FAR 52.223‐1, Biobased Product Certification contained in Section K.

The Contractor shall utilize products and material made from biobased materials (e.g., biobased erosion control materials, biobased composite panels, biobased roof coatings, biobased insulating foam, biobased interior paints and coatings, and biobased wood and concrete sealers). All supplies and materials shall be of a type and quality that conform to applicable Federal specifications and standards.

All supplies and materials to be used in the performance of work described herein are subject to the approval of the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

The following is an example list of products that may be used in this minor construction contract for which biobased products are available and the designated biobased content. The list is not all inclusive.

It is desirable that vendors be able to supply the greatest number of biobased products listed meeting the health and environmental specifications.

Adhesive and Mastic Removers – 58 percent Asphalt and Tar Removers ‐ 80 percent Asphalt Restorers – 68 percent Carpet – 7 percent Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners – 54 percent and Spot Removers – 7 percent Composite Panels – Acoustical – 37 percent; Interior Panels – 55 percent; Plastic Lumber – 23 percent;

Structural Interior Panels – 89 percent; Structural Wall Panels – 94 percent and Countertops and Solid Surface ‐_ 89 percent Concrete and Asphalt Cleaners – 70 percent Concrete and Asphalt Release Fluids – 87 percent Dust Suppressants – 85 percent Erosion Control Materials – 77 percent Floor Coverings (Non‐Carpet) – 91 percent

General Purpose Cleaners ‐ 54 percent Hand Soaps and Cleaners – 64 percent Industrial Cleaners – 41 percent Insulating Foam – 7 percent Leather, Vinyl, and Rubber Care Products – 55 percent Paint‐ Interior Paints and Coatings, Latex – 20 percent and Oil‐based – 67 percent Paint Removers – 41 percent Roof Coatings – 20 percent Wastewater Systems Coatings – 47 percent Water Tank Coatings – 59 percent Wood and Concrete Sealers – Membrane Concrete Sealers‐ 11 percent and Penetrating Liquids – 79 percent Wood and Concrete Stains – 39 percent

Reporting is required by Sections 9002 of the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 and the Agricultural Act of 2014. The Contractor shall provide quantities, product types and dollar value of any USDA‐designated biobased product purchased by the Contractor. This important data shall be submitted to the COR for the current quarter and current contract year. A brief explanation shall include the methodology used to calculate the dollar value of USDA‐designated products used or supplied.

The Contractor should also note that USDA‐designated biobased products are available for purchase through the AbilityOne Program (formerly known as the Javits‐ Wagner‐O’Day (JWOD) Program). Under this program, members of organizations including the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and the National Institute for the Severely Disabled (SourceAmerica) offer products and services that are mandatory by Federal agencies. A search of the AbilityOne Program’s online catalog (www.ability.gov) indicated biobased products that include but are not limited to cleaners (glass, hand, and multipurpose), graffiti removers, and sorbents.

C.4 PLACES OF PERFORMANCE

The Ft Collins Research Farm is the field site for the USDA ARS Sugar Beet and Soils units. It includes seed storage and equipment storage.

Ft Collins Research Farm is served by power in two accounts by Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel). The government intends for the solar arrays be connected to account # 53‐3089304‐6.

Bldg # Account # Service address Meter #

1 53‐3089304‐6 USDA

5021 E COUNTY ROAD 58

FORT COLLINS, CO 80524‐9327

53878589

2 53‐8237537‐7 USDA

5021 E COUNTY ROAD 58 BLDG FIRE

WELLINGTON, CO 80549

W102759S

Buildings are Federally owned. Land is leased from Colorado State University under a long‐term lease.

The map below shows the two buildings and the proposed array location on building #1. There is an existing underground electrical service line connecting the two buildings that avoids the existing underground water storage tank. The area of the array is approximate and shown only for illustration.

C.5 Not used

C.6 INTERCONNECTION REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor is responsible for complying with all electric utility interconnection requirements, providing all necessary PV system details for the interconnection applications, and paying the utility’s interconnection application deposit and study fee of $1,000.00. If any further interconnection studies are required to be performed by or on behalf of the electric utility, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer. The Government will make arrangements to pay for such additional studies if required. 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 or Contractor as required by utility agreements.

The contractor shall provide interconnection agreements to the government at least 30 days in advance for legal review. Note that the Government is self‐insured and requires that indemnity and termination clauses, among other things, are consistent with Government requirements and authority.

The government has contacted Xcel, obtained a copy of the Small Generator Interconnection Agreement for Government Entities, and appended it in Attachment 4, which shall be used for this interconnection. Interconnection will be under Public Service Company of Colorado GSA Areawide Contract # GS‐00P‐16‐BSD‐12‐3 in Attachment 2. The contractor shall complete and submit the Interconnection Pre‐Application Data Request 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.

The Contractor shall submit an electric utility interconnection process plan to the Government within 14 days of contract award. The plan shall include key steps, timeline, interconnection details, and assumptions necessary to complete the interconnection process.

The Contractor shall be subject to and shall satisfy the interconnection requirements of the electric utility serving the project site. The Contractor shall provide any needed repair and upgrade to site electrical distribution equipment to meet interconnection requirements. The Contractor shall provide to the local utility if required: single line diagrams, engineering power flow studies, estimated energy production data estimates, catalog cuts, and other specifications and data with respect to the proposed new generating systems. Among other things, it is expected that the utility will require a new production meter and disconnect.

Any local codes required by utility interconnection laws and regulations shall be followed, and the Contractor will be responsible for fees, permits, and inspections.

Interconnection to Government owned electrical distribution systems The Contractor shall interconnect the PV system to the Agency electrical distribution system, if any, and take actions to ensure full compatibility. Modifications or upgrades to the electrical system required to interconnect the PV systems are the responsibility of the Contractor. Any needed upgrades or modifications to existing agency electrical distribution systems must be included in the review and approval process outlined in the submittal section herein.

Utility Interconnection Requirements The Contractor is responsible for complying with all Federal, State, Local and Electric Utility interconnection requirements, providing all necessary PV system details for the interconnection applications, and funding any required interconnection studies. 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 or Contractor as required by utility agreements.

The Contractor shall provide supporting material and analysis if required: single line diagrams, engineering power flow studies, estimated energy production data estimates, and other specifications and data with respect to the proposed new generating systems.

The Contractor shall submit an electric utility interconnection process plan to the Government within 14 days of contract award as detailed in submittal Section C.14.3. The plan shall include key steps, timeline, interconnection details, and assumptions necessary to complete the interconnection process.

The Utility’s interconnection agreement language used for this project must be acceptable to the Government before the Contractor or the Government executes it. The draft interconnection agreement in Attachment 4 does not have final approval of the Government and is provided for information only.

The final interconnection agreement submitted to the utility must be accompanied by GSA Areawide Agreement Exhibit D in Attachment 2 signed by the Contracting Officer.

C.7 SITE CONDITIONS

Feasibility evaluations to determine the potential size of solar photovoltaic systems have not been completed. The Contractor is responsible for ascertaining relevant site conditions to determine project feasibility and to determine final system size according to the terms of this solicitation. If any drawings, specifications, existing engineering studies or facility conditions reports are provided through this solicitation by way of the site information package, the bidder and Contractor shall independently verify all information provided.

Discovery of Site Conditions “Differing Site Conditions Clause, FAR 52.236‐2” 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.

a. Differing Site Conditions ‐ FAR 52.236‐2 apply.

b. 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. 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 these documents are desired 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 TOTAL ARRAY OUTPUT WARRANTY

The intent of this contract is to make the Ft Collins Research Farm a net zero electricity facility. The system shall be a minimum of 33 KW and occupy an area of approximately 3,300 Square Feet of roof space. Modules shall be arranged so they avoid and do not obstruct existing roof mounted equipment, vents, and other fixtures. We anticipate this will provide 46,000 KWHs annually.

The Contractor shall provide a system to achieve a Weather Corrected Performance Ratio of at least 0.9 over any monitoring period1. Calculation of the performance ratio shall account for snow cover, severe wind events, and/or other conditions deemed beyond the Contractor’s control by Contract Officer.

The ratio of actual to predicted performance is the “Performance Ratio” as described in IEC 61724 or ASTM E2848 – 13 Standard Test Method for Reporting Photovoltaic output ‐ Page 5 of 23

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 STC rated output in year one. No module shall depreciate more than 0.9% for each year of the required minimum 25‐year module warranty period.

1 http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/57991.pdf

The Contractor shall warrant the entire PV array 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 foreman 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

The Contractor shall comply with the requirements of the Utility if a Professional Engineer’s stamp is required. Engineers stamping designs for this project shall be licensed in the state of Colorado.

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

1. A Government power meter, as specified by ARS, shall 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 Ft Collins Research Farm 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.

2. 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.10.4 If incentive programs require use of a performance monitoring and reporting service, the Contractor is responsible for meeting such requirements in addition to other metering requirements herein.

C.10.5. For all ARS sites, the Contractor must install a fully independent and physically separate communications network. Wireless can be used if NIST encryption standards are met. See section C.14.

If wireless is used, the Contractor must provide transmitter and receiver equipment and assure functionality of the wireless network. The solar PV network and all devices on the network shall have current antivirus software, updates, and patches.

C.11 SYSTEM STARTUP AND COMMISSIONING

The Contractor shall provide all work required for testing, start‐up, and commissioning as prescribed by the following requirements.

1. Commissioning standard IEC 62446 shall be followed.

2. Contractor shall provide services of a third‐party Testing Agency that employs NABCEP or

NETA certified engineers or technicians to perform start‐up and acceptance testing of the specified PV system.

3. All start‐up and testing activities may be witnessed by the FASPP’s Project Manager, Agency Site Project Coordinator and DOE/FEMP Inspector.

4. The system shall be started‐up and tested in accordance with the regulations of the applicable interconnection standards.

5. Complete a system commissioning per the Specification and equipment manufacturer’s written instructions.

6. Request and coordinate with the Utility Company and USDA‐ARS for acceptance and certification of the PV system and permission to operate.

7. Set and adjust circuit protection devices according to Short Circuit and Coordination Study.

8. Commissioning shall include Contractor’s Data Acquisition System (DAS).

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 Ft Collins Research Farm managers on site or telephonically 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 and the Government should reasonably and efficiently synchronize meeting locations for the multiple array sites so that Contractor and Government personnel traveling to meetings may attend multiple meetings in one trip.

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. Such outages must be scheduled off hours or at times selected by Ft Collins Research Farm management and must not disrupt agency activities.

C.13 OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Section not used.

C.14 DESIGN 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. The Contractor is responsible for verifying all information provided by the Government.

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 Ft Collins Research Farm.

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

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); requires access and clearance around roof areas and other requirements related to fire protection.

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 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)

Electronics and Engineering

IEEE P929 IEEE P929 Recommended Practice for Utility Interface of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

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.

Interconnection of PV Systems

IEC 61727 IEEE Photovoltaic (PV) systems – Characteristics of the utility interface

Inverters IEEE 519 IEEE Recommended Practices and Requirements for Harmonic Control in Electric Power Systems

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

PV Module IEEE 1262 IEEE Recommended Practice for PV Module Qualification, Performance, and Reliability

PV Module IEC 61215 & IEC 61646 IEC Design qualification and type approval for crystalline silicon and thin‐film PV modules

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

Topic Code Code Organization

Description

PV Module IEC 61730 IEC Module safety qualification

PV Module ‐ Safety

UL 1703 UL Standard for Safety for Flat Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels

PV Module ‐ Testing

ASTM ‐ E1026‐08 ASTM

International

Standard Test Methods for Electrical Performance of Non‐concentrator Terrestrial Photovoltaic Modules and Arrays

PV Module – Hail Test

ASTM ‐ E1038‐10 ASTM

International

Standard Test Methods for Determining Resistance of Photovoltaic Modules to Hail

PV Module – Temperature and Humidity Testing

ASTM ‐ E1171‐09 ASTM

International

Standard Methods for Photovoltaic Modules in Cyclic Temperature and Humidity Environments

PV Module – Grounding Testing

E1462‐00(2006) ASTM

International

Standard Test Methods for Insulation Integrity and Ground Path Continuity of Photovoltaic Modules

PV Module – Visual Inspection

E1799‐08 ASTM

International

Standard Practice for Visual Inspection of Photovoltaic Modules

PV Module – Mechanical Integrity

E1830‐09 ASTM

International

Standard Test Methods for Mechanical Integrity of Photovoltaic Modules

PV Module –

Test Method

E2848 ASTM

International

Standard Test Method for Reporting Photovoltaic Non‐Concentrator System Performance

PV Module – Reporting Performance

E2939 ASTM

International

Standard Practice for Determining Reporting Conditions and Expected Capacity for Photovoltaic (PV) Non‐Concentrator Systems

Control System – Security

800‐82 NIST Guide to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security Standard (Draft)

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

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

PV…