19 - Sources Sought Notice - SS-2023-2000.docx

Sources Sought Notice No. SS-2023-2000 for “Inspections, Maintenance and Repairs for NREL-Owned Photovoltaic Systems” for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Background:

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), operated and managed by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. NREL advances the science and engineering of energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and renewable power technologies and provides the knowledge to integrate and optimize energy systems. Located in the foothills of Golden, Colorado, NREL is the only federal laboratory dedicated to the research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (the Alliance), as the Prime Contractor for the DOE to manage and operate NREL, is seeking a subcontractor to provide Inspections, Maintenance and Repairs for NREL-Owned Photovoltaic Systems.

Objective:

The objective of this Sources Sought is to identify potential contracting companies that are qualified and capable of meeting the project objectives. The project objective, at a high level, is to provide all labor, supplies, materials, replacement parts, equipment, transportation to and from the site, and any other goods and services required to provide inspections, preventative maintenance, and repairs on NREL-owned Photovoltaic Systems.

Project Details:

The subcontractor shall provide all labor, supplies, materials, replacement parts, equipment, transportation to and from the site, and any other goods and services required to provide inspections, preventative maintenance, and repairs on NREL-owned Photovoltaic Systems.

1. Annual Inspection Minimum Requirements includes:

0. The Subcontractor shall perform an annual inspection, once every twelve (12) months on NREL-owned PV systems, including the following:

0. Array

0. Inspect PV modules for damage, discoloration, or de-lamination.

0. Inspect mounting system for damage or corrosion.

0. Replace connectors between module(s).

0. Replace MC connector lead to combiner box.

0. Trackers (where applicable).

1. Inspect tracker components for damage or corrosion.

1. Inspect tracker controller for damage.

1. Verify proper operation and alignment.

0. Inverter

2. Torque checks on critical electrical terminations.

2. Inspect inverter pad and container.

2. Replace inverter AC fuse.

0. Electrical System

3. Inspect ground braids, electrodes, and conductors for damage.

3. Perform thermo-graphic analysis of combiner boxes, inverters, transformers, and conductor connections to buses, breakers or disconnects.

0. Meteorological Station

4. Inspect weather measurement equipment for damage.

0. Site Conditions

5. Inspect drainage conditions.

5. Inspect vegetation for array shading or fire hazards.

5. Inspect safety conditions and proper signage.

0. Annual Inspection Reports shall be provided within 10 business days of the completed inspection.

1. Record results of all inspections.

1. Take photographs of any damage or defects identified.

1. Inform NREL of all deficiencies identified.

1. Provide NREL with recommendations for corrective actions.

1. Preventive Maintenance and Emergency Repairs include:

1. The Subcontractor shall provide preventive maintenance within two weeks or ten (10) business days of the NREL Technical Monitor or Work Control Center Request or emergency repair within twenty-four (24) hours of the initial 4-hour response window.

0. Preventative maintenance and emergency repairs may include, but are not limited to the following:

0. Array

0. Cable and termination repair or replacement.

0. Grounding repair or replacement.

0. Panel repair or replacement.

0. Trackers

1. Lubricate tracker motors and jackscrews.

1. Visually inspect for corrosion on tracker shaft.

1. Fix screws on all connectors properly.

1. Visually check all cables for possible fractures, pinched points.

1. Make sure that PV Cables have not slipped out of position in a way that they could be strained due to tracker movement.

1. Clean holes in motor housing and motor cap for draining condensed water.

1. Replace motor with mechanical gears as deemed necessary by the Technical Monitor.

0. Inverter

2. Clean all filters and fans.

2. Ensure fans are not blocked and are fully functional.

2. Clean inverter cabinet air vents.

2. Clean/remove dust and debris from inverter heat sinks per manufacturer requirements.

2. Check all connections and ensure the connections are fixed tightly.

2. Review display for error codes and resolve as necessary.

2. Perform all other preventive maintenance as outlined by the Original Equipment Manufacturer.

0. Electrical System

3. Perform thermo-graphic analysis of combiner boxes, inverters, transformers, and conductor connections to buses, breakers or disconnects.

3. Test all switches and disconnects to ensure they are not jammed.

3. Complete DC Operating current tests.

3. Check String-level open-circuit voltage.

3. Check I-V curve traces on strings.

3. Check torque marks and re-tightening appropriate wiring connections to design specification torque force per manufacturer guidelines.

3. Turn off and on logging and communications to ensure they are communicating and ensure battery backups are working.

0. Meteorological Station

4. Clean pyranometers and reference cells.

4. Check calibration expiration on sensors and meters, including pyranometers and anemometers.

4. Replace desiccant, if required.

0. Site Conditions

5. Clean PV Panel cages and arrays of debris, dust, and animal droppings using water only.

5. Inspect roof penetrations to ensure sealant is applied properly and not degrading.

5. Visually inspect and resolve all general site conditions for the area in which the Maintenance or Repair call is received, including but not limited to:

2. Electrical Equipment

2. Mounting Structures

2. Fencing

2. Shading

2. Trackers

2. Vegetation

2. Animal damage

2. Erosion

2. Corrosion

2. Discolored Panels

0. Annual module cleaning

6. Clean PV modules per industry best practices.

1. Quotes for all labor and materials shall be provided within 48 hours of the completed inspection or within 24 hours of the initial request for emergency repair.

1. Preventive maintenance and repair reports are required within one week or 5 business days of completion of each scheduled task, including the following:

2. Record results of all maintenance and repair tasks, including the Date, Time, and Location of the task(s).

2. Take photographs of any damage or defects identified and photographs of the completed maintenance or repair task(s).

2. Inform NREL of any additional deficiencies identified beyond the original quoted labor, if applicable.

2. Provide NREL with recommendations for corrective actions to prevent damage in the future, if applicable.

1. On-Site Employee Certification and Qualification Requirements include:

2. Licensed Electrical Contractor.

2. NABCEP PV installer certified and/or UL PV System installation certified

2. Experience with and on power generation systems.

2. Experience with DC electrical systems.

2. Certified in current version of NFPA 70E.

2. Familiarity with sections of the National Electric Code specific to PV (section 690/691).

2. ASNT certified for planning and conducting thermal imaging (American Society for Non-destructive Testing)

2. Meet NERC compliance for utility-scale systems.

2. Trained in Arc-Flash, Lock-out/Tag-out, and special protective equipment training.

Solicitation Details:

The Alliance is seeking to determine the appropriateness of a total set aside to small businesses. The volume of qualified responses received from this Sources Sought will inform NREL’s decision regarding the Request for Proposal (RFP) set aside status.

Step 1 Selection (SSN): Parties that meet the minimum criteria outlined herein are encouraged to submit their capabilities statements. Submitted capabilities statements that meet the Alliance’s stated criteria will be included in the source list to receive the planned RFP.

Step 2 Selection (RFP): In the second and final step, offerors will be asked to demonstrate their technical approach to the project as well as a firm price to perform the work. This step may include oral presentations from as a part of the final selection.

At the conclusion of the two steps, the Alliance intends to enter into a single subcontract with the selected offeror for the duration of time identified in the selected offeror’s proposal at the conclusion of negotiations with NREL.

Historical Order of Magnitude: The historical usage for these supplies and services ranges from $75,000.00 to $100,000.00 per year.

Small-Business Requirements: This subcontract is planned as a 100% small business set-aside. The NAICS code applicable to this Sources Sought is 238210.

Period of Performance: This project will have a base period of performance totaling twelve (12) months or 365 days, plus four one-year option periods totaling twelve (12) months of 365 days. The total Period of Performance, if all options are exercised, shall not exceed sixty (60) months.

Submission Requirements:

1. The Subcontractor shall provide a narrative of the Offeror’s company expertise with projects of similar scope, size, and complexity. NREL is seeking information from the Offeror that demonstrates the Offeror’s capability to self-perform and manage lower-tier subcontractors with regards to safety, security, schedule, cost and administrative requirements. In the response to this Sources Sought Notice, Offerors shall highlight the depth and breadth of resources that can be brought to the project to ensure completion on schedule. Offerors shall identify the processes for communication with the project manager, schedule management, quality assurance, subcontractor management, and staff coordination. In addition to the above, the Subcontractor is encouraged to provide project experience working with state or federal agencies.

2. The following links are being provided for convenience:

https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards https://www.sba.gov/size-standards

3. Capability: NREL is seeking a subcontractor has demonstrated success with similar projects, has experience with federally funded projects, is knowledgeable with challenging schedules on project delivery, and is well versed and skilled in effectively integrating with all project team stakeholders.

Please complete the following table and include in your Capabilities Statement.

4. Location: Offerors shall have a bona-fide office located within 100 miles or shall be able to demonstrate their capability to perform in these locations:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) South Table Mountain Campus (STM) 15013 Denver West Parkway Golden, CO 80401

No contract award will be made to any contractor that is not registered or in the process of registering with the System for Award Management (SAM). Please visit the SAM website at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration for instructions on how to register.

For firms interested in competing for the “Inspections, Maintenance and Repairs for NREL-Owned Photovoltaic Systems” RFP for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, please submit the following to Caitlyn Alter at Caitlyn.Alter@NREL.gov on or before 5:00 p.m. (MST), 10/04/2022:

1. Capability Statement

2. Organization Name and Address (include bona-fide location as stated above)

3. Point of Contact Information (Email, Direct Phone Number)

4. Respondents must address the criteria as stated above to be considered for RFP.

5. The page limit for responses shall be limited to 2-5 pages.

Disclaimer: Responding to this request identifies your organization as an interested candidate only. Your submittal is not in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP). This is a Sources Sought Notice, not a Request for Proposal. Verbal replies will not be accepted. All inquiries must be in writing via email. Project related questions will not be entertained at this point in the procurement process.

image2.jpeg image1.jpeg