33330226RF0010008 RFP.pdf

SOLICITATION, OFFER,

AND AWARD

2. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

6. PROJECT NO. 4. CONTRACT NO. 5. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NO.

PAGE OF PAGES

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO

SOLICITATION

(Construction, Alteration, or Repair)

1. SOLICITATION NO. 3. DATE ISSUED

IMPORTANT -- The "offer" section on the reverse must be fully completed by offeror.

9.

INFORMATION

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NO. (Include area code) (NO COLLECT CALLS)

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder."

CALL:

FOR

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

MRC 1200

PO Box 37012 Washington DC 20013-7012

OCON

Christine Grant 202-633-7290

1x 04/21/2026

33330226RF0010008

10. THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES PERFORMANCE OF THE WORK DESCRIBED IN THESE DOCUMENTS (Title, identifying no., date)

This solicitation is for the for a design build contract of a Solar Array System for

Agrivoltaics Research at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) (SF

Project No. 2482101) located at 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD 21037.

The successful Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, tools, equipment, and services necessary to complete the design and construction of a 2.0 MW DC system that consists of four distinct array configurations on a single 12-acre parcel, owned by the Smithsonian Institution, designed to support agrivoltaics research with varying heights, orientations, and spacing as specified in the attachments, and in accordance with all solicitation and contract terms and conditions provided in this

Request for Proposal.

11. The Contractor shall begin performance

12a. THE CONTRACTOR MUST FURNISH ANY REQUIRED PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS?

award, notice to proceed. The performance period is mandatory negotiable. (See ________________________________________________.)

13. ADDITIONAL SOLICITATION REQUIREMENTS:

a. Sealed offers in original and is not required.is, b. An offer guarantee

c. All offers are subject to the (1) work requirements, and (2) other provisions and clauses incorporated in the solicitation in full text or by reference.

(date). If this is a sealed bid solicitation, offers will be publicly opened at that time. Sealed envelopes containing offers shall be marked to show the offeror's name and address, the solicitation number, and the date and time offers are due.

d. Offers providing less than

12b. CALENDAR DAYSYES NO

(If "YES", indicate within how many calendar days after award in Item 12b.)

0 0 calendar days and complete it within ________________ ________________ calendar days after receiving

06/22/2026

NSN 7540-01-155-3212

x x x x copies to perform the work required are due at the place specified in Item 8 by _____________ ___________________ (hour) local time calendar days for Government acceptance after the date offers are due will not be considered and will be rejected . _________________

STANDARD FORM 1442 (Rev. 4-85)

Prescribed by GSA

FAR(48 CFR) 53.236-1(d)

17. The offeror agrees to perform the work required at the prices specified below in strict accordance with the terms of this solicitation, if this offer is accepted by the Government in writing within ____________________ calendar days after the date offers are due. (Insert any number equal to or greater than the minimum requirement stated in item 13d. Failure to insert any number means the offeror accepts the minimum in item 13d.)

14. NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Include ZIP Code) 15. TELEPHONE NO. (Include area code)

16. REMITTANCE ADDRESS (Include only if different than item 14.)

CODE FACILITY CODE

AMOUNTS

18. The offeror agrees to furnish any required performance and payment bonds.

19. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the solicitation -- give number and date of each)

AMENDMENT NO.

DATE.

20a. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER (Type or print) 20b. SIGNATURE 20c. OFFER DATE

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

21. ITEMS ACCEPTED:

22. AMOUNT 23. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

24. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

ITEM 25. OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION PURSUANT TO

26. ADMINISTERED BY CODE 27. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

CONTRACTING OFFICER WILL COMPLETE ITEM 28 OR 29 AS APPLICABLE

(Contractor is required to sign this document and return (Contractor is not required to sign this document.)

Your offer on this solicitation is hereby accepted as to the items listed. This award consummates the contract, which consists of (a) the Government solicitation and your offer, and (b) this contract award.

No further contractual document is necessary.

30a. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTOR OR PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN (Type or print) 31a. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

30b. SIGNATURE 30c. DATE 31b. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 31c. DATE

BY

2PAGE OF

OCON

MRC 1200

PO Box 37012 Washington DC 20013-7012

OCON

Christine Grant

28. NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT 29. AWARD

Contractor agrees to furnish and deliver all items or perform all work requirements identified on this form and any continuation sheets for the consideration stated in this contract. The rights and obligations of the parties to this contract shall be governed by (a) this contract award, (b) the solicitation, and (c) the clauses, representations, copies to issuing office.)

10 U.S.C. 2304(c) 41 U.S.C. 253(c)

STANDARD FORM 1442 (REV. 4-85) BACK

Continued...

ITEM NO.

(A)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(B)

QUANTITY

(C)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT PRICE

(E)

AMOUNT

(F)

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

3 108

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

33330226RF0010008

TOUR OF THE SITE:

Offerors are required to attend a pre-proposal meeting at the site on Monday, May 4, 2026, at

9:00 AM at the SERC Schmidt Conference Center at

647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD 21037. This meeting will allow Offerors to see the site, proposed connection points and related details.

Firsthand information about the site will be essential for preparing offers. No questions about the RFP will be answered at the site visit.

Failure to visit the site will not constitute a basis for a claim for change due to differing site conditions.

QUESTIONS/ SUBMITTALS:

It is desired that all questions be sent in word format, sequentially numbered for example first questions 1, 2, 3, second set of questions 4, 5, 6, etc. to grantca@si.edu. It is requested that all questions be sent in by Monday May 18, 2026, no later than 3PM EST. All answers to every question from any offeror will be provided in writing to all offerors on SAM.gov.

SUBMISSION:

Proposals must be submitted via Dropbox no later than 3:00 PM on Monday June 22, 2026, using the following link:

https://www.dropbox.com/request/DeP3uaIaA1weP7iTVWiJ .

NSN 7540-01-152-8067

Each file shall be labeled with the Company Name, File Name, Solicitation Name/Number. If any pricing information is on the Technical

Proposal, you will be disqualified.

SUBCONTRACTING PLAN REQUIREMENTS:

The successful Offeror submits with their proposal a Small Business Subcontracting Plan which will be evaluated for compliance with FAR

19.7.

For the purposes of this project, the following goals are considered reasonable and achievable during the term of the contract:

40 % a minimum of the planned subcontracting dollars to be placed with small business concerns. (The following are subsets of the small business goal):

7 % a minimum of the planned subcontracting

Continued ...

OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

https://www.dropbox.com/request/DeP3uaIaA1weP7iTVW mailto:grantca@si.edu https://www.dropbox.com/request/DeP3uaIaA1weP7iTV

ITEM NO.

(A)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(B)

QUANTITY

(C)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT PRICE

(E)

AMOUNT

(F)

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

4 108

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

33330226RF0010008

dollars to be placed with service-disabled

Veteran owned small business (SDVSB) concerns.

NSN 7540-01-152-8067 OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

Table of Contents A – Solicitation/Contract Form

B - Services/Prices

C - Description/Specifications

D - Packaging and Marking

E - Inspection and Acceptance

F - Deliveries or Performance

G - Contract Administration Data

H - Special Contract Requirements

I - Contract Clauses

J - List of Documents, Exhibits and Other Attachments

K - Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Bidders

L - Instructions,Conditions, and Notices to Bidders

M - Evaluation Factors for Award

SERC Solar Arrays for Agrivoltaics Research333302-26RF-001008

A – Solicitation/ Contract Form

See Pages 1-4 of SF 1442

B - Services/Prices

B.1. The Smithsonian Institution intends to award a firm fixed-price design-build construction contract to the successful Contractor/Offeror.

B.2. Pricing – The successful Contractor/Offeror shall identify all costs associated with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) Solar Array System for Agrivoltaics Research, as set forth in the Construction Documents. Offerors are required to provide the Base Cost Proposal with Options Submission. The format for the Base Cost Proposal Submission shall be the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) divisions of work. Break down the Base Cost Proposal Submission into the CSI division listed in the Specifications. See Attachments for Bid Sheet.

52.232-18 Availability of Funds. (Apr 1984) Funds are not presently available for this contract. The Government’s obligation under this contract is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment for contract purposes can be made. No legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment may arise until funds are made available to the Contracting Officer for this contract and until the Contractor receives notice of such availability, to be confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer.

C - Description/Specifications

C.1. Project Overview

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued by the Smithsonian Institution (SI), hereinafter referred to as the "Smithsonian" or SI, to obtain the services of a Design-Build Contractor, also referred to as Offeror or Contractor, who shall be singularly responsible to satisfy the terms of the resulting contract.

This contract will provide Design-Build services for the design and construction of a ground mounted Photovoltaic (PV) system (henceforth to be referred to as “agrivoltaics”) consisting of four distinct configurations (arrays) with a total output of 2.0 Megawatts (MW) DC, for the purpose of agrivoltaics research.

The project will be located on approximately 12 acres of agricultural land on SI property, located behind the Woodlawn House on Contees Wharf Rd. in Edgewater, MD 21037. This property is part of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) located at 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD 21037, as described herein and in Part 2 General Requirements and all Attachments. Refer to the attachments for a map showing the agricultural field that is designated for the agrivoltaics project. The project must consist of a variation of arrays as shown in Attachment 4, and connections, as required to fully comply with Baltimore Gas & Electric (BG&E) and Maryland General Assembly’s net aggregate metering regulation requirements and limitations (State of MD COMAR 20.50.10), and to provide the most cost-effective design and construction solution.

The contract will be a Firm Fixed-Price Contract. The contractor for this project will be competitively chosen using Source Selection procedures. SI will evaluate all responses using the criteria stated herein.

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select a Design-Build Contractor to provide all labor, materials, tools, equipment, and services necessary to complete the design and construction of a 2.0 MW DC system that consists of four distinct array configurations on a single 12-acre parcel, owned by the Smithsonian Institution, designed to support agrivoltaics research with varying heights, orientations, and spacing as specified in Attachments.

All the requirements that the successful Offeror must meet concerning this project are set forth in detail in the Solicitation Documents included with this Request for Proposal. Upon the receipt of Technical, Cost, and Schedule Proposals and the selection of a successful Offeror, SI will execute a Design/Build construction contract.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is intended to provide all Offerors with sufficient information to prepare and submit offers for technical, cost, and schedule review by SI.

333302-26RF-001008 SERC Solar Arrays for Agrivoltaics Research

This solicitation neither commits SI to pay any proposal preparation costs nor obligates SI to procure or contract for construction or any other services. It shall not be construed as authorization to proceed with or be reimbursed for any of the costs for any of the work specified herein.

C.2. Services to be Provided.

The services for this project include but are not limited to, serving as the Architect/Engineer of Record (registered in Maryland), preparing construction documents, providing general construction services, and completing construction, commissioning, and delivery of the project and the agrivoltaics solar array(s). It shall be the responsibility of the Offeror to design and construct this project in accordance with SI's design and construction guidelines and complete construction while meeting all specified project requirements and applicable laws, codes, regulations, and permit requirements.

The Design-Build Contractor shall have a full understanding of the content of this solicitation and the attached and referenced documents as well.

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

The Design-Build Contractor shall have complete responsibility for the design and construction of the agrivoltaics project and the site improvements, including timely delivery within the required project completion date and budget.

The scope of Design Phase Services will require, at a minimum, Professional Engineering and related consulting services for agrivoltaics design and construction documents submitted at 50%, 100%, and Final design, specifications, and schedules.

The scope of services includes confirming, applying for, funding, and obtaining all permits and approvals required to lawfully complete the project. SI will provide available information related to this, but the contractor will remain responsible for verifying all information the SI provides. Permits required may include those from/for:

Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Stormwater Management Wetland and Buffer Zone Protection Baltimore Gas and Electric

The scope of construction services will require at a minimum: Site preparation and improvements, procurement, project inspection, monitoring, billing, interconnection fees, site utilities, drainage and stormwater management plan, electrical, perimeter security fencing, paving, administration of the construction contract and all subcontracts, coordination of regular construction meetings, scheduling, maintaining construction records, including daily logs and monthly reports, monitoring of construction costs, all services included in the contract documents, systems commissioning, warranties and guarantees, and other required supplemental services as required under the contract. Contractor to include the cost to accommodate stormwater management requirements.

The Contractor shall provide professional, technical, administrative, and clerical personnel as needed to perform all required services including, but not limited to, those described in this Solicitation.

Public restrooms will not be available at the construction site; contractor shall provide & maintain sanitary facilities at locations approved by SI COTR and shall remove them upon completion of work.

C.3. Project Summary and Requirements

BASE BID

Design and construct a 2.0 MW DC agrivoltaics system for the purpose of agrivoltaics research.

The following applies to all contractor-designed systems: Applicable SI Facilities Design Standards and Smithsonian Facilities (SF) Codes, Standards and Guidelines, latest editions, which apply to the design, construction, maintenance, and repair of SI facilities. These documents are available online at: Architect- Engineer Information Center | Facilities (si.edu)

The Smithsonian Institution (SI) is the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for design review and acceptance. The Work shall comply with: (1) NFPA 70 (NEC) 2023, (2) IEEE Std 1547‑2018 and IEEE 1547a‑2020, (3) UL and ANSI standards cited herein including UL 61730 and UL 3741, (4) BGE interconnection requirements and tariffs, (5) COMAR Title 20, Subtitle 50 (Interconnection, Net Metering), and COMAR 26.17.02 (Stormwater), and (6) SI Facilities Design Standards and SF Codes, Standards & Guidelines. In case of conflict, the stricter requirement governs; the SI AHJ will resolve ambiguities in writing. The County Building codes/inspections will generally not apply. All MDE, stormwater and other environmental permit requirements are applicable to the project.

This work includes design and construction of the following key components for the agrivoltaics project.

Contractor shall consider the following Design Guidelines when designing the agrivoltaics project:

The contractor shall develop a design utilizing equipment manufactured in the United States for a complete ground-mounted agrivoltaics system. For the avoidance of doubt, construction of the agrivoltaics system shall not include any “material assistance from a prohibited foreign entity” as such term is defined in 26 U.S.C. § 7701(a)(52). The contractor shall provide written certification of compliance with this requirement and the overall supply chain.

The entire site does not need to be utilized. It is the responsibility of the contractor to assess site topography and geotechnical attributes to identify the most cost-effective placement of the array(s) and estimate the resulting project installation costs.

Contractor is responsible for securing the environmental permits necessary to install a ground-mounted system. The cost of environmental and other required permits must be included in the proposed price.

The design of the agrivoltaics system shall result in a DC to AC ratio of 1.2 (subject to change dependent on design and equipment availability after written authorization from the SI COTR).

The design and construction shall include four distinct array configurations as outlined in attachment 4. Each of the four arrays shall be electrically separable with dedicated inverters and MPPTs for each array to enable performance comparisons. Provide combiner/SCADA tagging to align electrical points with research plots.

The contractor shall use prevailing best practices in agrivoltaics system design.

o The agrivoltaics system shall comply with the most recent version (as of award, and unless otherwise noted) of the following codes, standards, and regulations:

i. The National Electrical Code Article 105.10

ii. ASCE 7-22

iii. IEEE 1547

iv. UL 1741

v. UL 71730-1/-2

vi. UL 2703

vii. UL 4703

Solar panel specifications:

o Contractor shall assess the topography and geotechnical attributes of the land and other system efficiency impacts (self-occlusion, seasonal changes, inverter startup voltage requirements, etc.) to determine the optimal overall panel orientation.

o Contractor shall consider Mono-facial or Bi-facial panels, degree of panel tilt, fixed-tilt system or single-axis tracking system and other options to develop a design that best meets the intent of the project.

o Panel tilt shall also take into consideration site latitude and wind conditions.

o The selection of solar panels should be based upon a consideration of multiple factors, listed in approximate order of importance:

https://www.sifacilities.si.edu/a-e https://www.sifacilities.si.edu/a-e

i. Modules: System modules shall be manufactured in the United States, UL71730-1/-2 listed, and CEC-listed.

ii. power production requirements and the associated traits of:

1. the amount of space available for the installation

2. product/panel efficiency

iii. maximizing return on investment and the associated traits of:

1. product/panel cost

2. ease of system maintenance

3. system quality and longevity

iv. Modules will be screened for quality using results from nationally recognized test labs (NRTLS), which share results publicly under pre-negotiated agreements with module manufacturers. Offeror shall submit independent evidence of product reliability such as the PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) annual scorecard and/or Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC) – PV Module Index (PVMI). Modules delivered to the project site must have the same bill of materials (BOM) as tested.

v. Availability and lead time for delivery.

o PV hazard control shall comply with NEC 690.12; UL 3741 may be used as an array‑level rapid shutdown compliance path where acceptable to the AHJ. Inverters shall be certified for IEEE 1547‑2018 and listed per UL 1741 SB/SA as applicable by BGE.

o Modules shall have a minimum of a 25-year performance warranty. No module shall generate less than 97% of its standard testing conditions during year one, nor shall the modules degrade by more than 0.5% per year during the required 25-year minimum module warranty period.

Electrical o Wire management: comply with NEC article 690 regarding mis-mating of quick connects. Additionally, no plastic wire ties shall be used, only purpose-built wiring hangers and braided metal bundlers. Array wiring shall not be routed in a way that results in direct sun exposure. Wiring shall be designed and installed in a manner to minimize likely interference with proximate agricultural activities.

o If the Contractor correlation process needs additional system information, the Contractor shall request this information in advance from the SI representative or contracting officer’s technical representative (COTR). The Contractor shall coordinate with the SI representative to obtain additional information which may be required. The SI makes no guarantees as to the availability or accuracy of documentation.

o Electrical enclosures for critical system components (including but not limited to sensors, service panels, switches, combiners, and inverters) shall be at a minimum corrosion resistance per NEMA 4X.

Inverters o Shall be manufactured in the United States, UL1741 listed and must be CEC-listed with an efficiency of 95% or higher. Inverters shall have at least a 10-year limited warranty.

o Contractor shall consider the use of larger 1500 Vdc string inverters (100kW-200kW) due to their higher system efficiency.

o Offerors shall consider the lead time needed to acquire inverters (and other critical equipment) and advise the SI prior to making selections that could result in delays which would impact the project timeline. The contractor shall proactively offer alternative equipment selections to the SI that could preclude such delays.

i. When determining inverter quantities and capacities, the contractor shall consider beneficial redundancies to minimize production losses if any one inverter should fail.

Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) requirements:

o Current Aggregate Net Metering in MD is limited to a maximum of 2 MW for this project.

o The interconnection study and conditional approval from BGE is provided as Attachment 2. An additional study will not be required. Compliance with the study and associated requirements in Attachment 2 is required.

o The system(s) must connect to BGE, which is a 277/480 volt 3-phase Y-connected 4-wire system. The arrays’ inverter must match BGE’s voltage. The system design must meet all other interconnection requirements from BGE. The Contractor shall confirm and comply with all BGE requirements.

o 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 BGE for interconnection and any electric utility-required upgrades. SI will assist in facilitating communications with BGE for this purpose.

o Contractor’s proposal shall include a Reimbursable Allowance Item for BGE interconnection/upgrades in the amount of $600,000. The Contractor shall competitively procure, invoice at cost (no markups), and submit BGE invoices for SI review. Monthly allowance status reports are required; unused funds revert to SI. If actual costs exceed the allowance, the Contractor shall promptly notify SI with documentation; SI may increase the allowance via change order as justified.

o Contractor shall conform to BGE’s Technical Interconnection Requirements and COMAR interconnection processes, provide IEEE 1547‑2018 settings, and coordinate witness testing with BGEAll interconnecting lines will be buried in conduit below the frost line (likely 36 inches); solar array connections to point of interconnection shall be underground and in full compliance with SI design standards and BGE requirements, and sufficient for farming practices.

o Net metering/aggregate net metering shall comply with PUA §7‑306 and COMAR

20.50.10. Contractor shall design metering topology and service arrangements to comply with the 2 MW per service limit and BGE tariff requirements.

o The system will include surge protection.

Installation o All installations will include a 1-year limited workmanship warranty.

o The design of the system shall also give due consideration towards future system or panel upgrades and the potential to increase system output in the future.

o The Contractor shall provide technical data sheets for all equipment that will be used during the contract.

o Availability of system repair/replacement parts shall be taken into consideration while designing the system. (i.e. already discontinued components shall not be incorporated into the system) o Simplicity and efficiency of system maintenance needs shall be taken into consideration during the design of the system, as well as considerations for agrivoltaics research.

o Same Manufacturer and Product Line: Primary solar array components (i.e., modules and inverters) shall be from the same manufacturer, manufactured in the United States, and product line. For example, different brands of modules and inverters may not be mixed in one array, but it is acceptable to use a different brand of switchgear manufacturer.

o New Equipment: The SI will not accept used, reconditioned, after-market, or grey-market products or equipment. Such equipment may not be the basis of any offer and will not be accepted under any contract award.

o All major components (modules, inverters, racking, transformers) shall be manufactured in the United States in alignment with the Buy American Act.

o Soil health shall be deliberately supported by all design and construction activities to support proximate agricultural activities. Topsoil segregation shall comply with MDE requirements for photovoltaic systems.

Racking o Chemical locking compounds shall NOT be employed in any part of the design or construction.

o All fasteners used shall comply with manufacturer torque specifications and NOT make use of generic torque callouts.

o System solar panel racks shall be designed to be able to accept replacement panels in the future.

o A 10-year limited racking warranty shall be included.

o Base will use either steel posts or helical screws, to maximize permeability, and ability to return land to full agricultural use.

o Conduit runs and system components should be placed close to the racking footings to avoid obstructing agricultural/scientific operations.

o Severe weather specifications shall comply with those specified herein.

o Racking placement shall:

i. Allow for equipment access and field operations

ii. Enable replicated research plots and data collection

iii. Minimize soil disturbance and preserve long-term agricultural viability Marking and Labeling:

o The Contractor shall be responsible for all field-applied markings as required by local, state, and federal codes.

o Strict conformance to system marking (or labeling) requirements of agrivoltaics systems and their components is crucial for the safety of operators, service personnel, emergency responders, and others. General agrivoltaics system labeling requirements, per NEC 2023 Article 690 and specific requirements from Articles 110, 690 and 705, shall be followed. Include all required and desired labeling language in the design drawings for agency review.

o Electrical equipment and components used in agrivoltaics systems shall have markings that identify the manufacturer, size, type, ratings, hazard warnings, and other specifications. Equipment markings shall never be removed, and all equipment markings must be durable for the environment in which the equipment is installed. Markings must be visible or easily accessible during and after installation.

Agrivoltaics Monitoring System o Contractor shall include a remotely accessible turnkey power monitoring and metering system. It must be possible for the system to be integrated into the Stem’s Athena platform or equivalent clean energy management system for display on the SI network;

SI Office of the Chief Information Office must review and approve submitted protocol.

The system shall display and analyze historical and live solar electricity generation data.

The metering system must store data for at least three years and measure data at least every 15 minutes. The regularly collected data must include, but is not limited to, the following information:

i. Average and accumulated output, by array (kWh/kW and total kWh)

ii. Key weather parameters, to include

1. solar intensity

2. temperature

3. wind speed

4. rainfall

5. cloud cover

iii. Capacity factor

iv. Air quality emissions averted (and real-world equivalents conversion)

Design Package – the final design package shall include the following:

o Must conform with the NREL (NLR inSPIRE) design guidelines and guidance for an agrivoltaics array platform for research.

o Detailed description of the agrivoltaics project.

o Construction documents and engineering calculations that are signed and sealed by a licensed engineer.

o Layout drawing of installation site providing location of all equipment.

o Equipment details and manufacturer’s specifications.

o Schedule for equipment procurement and installation.

o Description of how BG&E grid interconnection requirements will be met.

o Description of controls, monitors, and instrumentation to be used.

o Equipment and installation manuals.

o Safety plan.

o Quality control plan.

o Web-based monitoring over the life of the contract.

Manuals: when manuals are mentioned within this document (such as equipment and installation manuals, O&M manuals, training, and safety manuals) the following submission standards apply:

o 2 copies of manuals are to be provided physically using 3-ring binders AND o Manuals are also to be submitted electronically/digitally:

i. In a pdf format

ii. Via a solid-state storage device (such as a thumb drive) or via a downloadable cloud source

Civil/Site Work It is the responsibility of the contractor to assess site topography and geotechnical attributes to estimate costs and complete work related to project installation. Contractor remains responsible for verifying all subsurface conditions and designing appropriate foundations.

o Specific BGE construction standards, including but not limited to those provided must be adhered to. The contractor is required to coordinate with BGE for all construction standards. The BGE requirements must be verified and adhered to by the contractor.

o Design shall implement MDE Environmental Site Design (ESD) to the Maximum Extent Practicable per COMAR 26.17.02 and MDE Solar Panel Installations guidance, including non‑rooftop disconnection, level spreaders/berms to maintain sheet flow on slopes ≤5%, and topsoil segregation/stockpile and restoration during trenching and backfill.

o Contractor is responsible for securing the environmental permits necessary to execute the project and install a ground-mounted system. The cost of environmental permitting shall be included in the proposal.

o Tree removals: The design of the system shall consider existing localized tree cover and its impact on solar efficiency, system upkeep, and the available ground area for the array(s). The contractor’s design will indicate which trees, if any, should be topped or removed to maximize system performance and minimize system installation and maintenance costs. Contractor shall identify trees recommended for removal in 50% design submission. SI approval is required before proceeding. Contractor is responsible for obtaining any required tree removal permits and any required mitigation plantings per County/State/Federal requirements. If tree removal is proposed, the design will designate areas where replacement trees could be planted without negatively impacting the arrays’ performance or maintenance needs. The design must accommodate any seasonal waterways, wetlands, or existing trees in the site. The agrivoltaics project will consist of four arrays located on one plot that is approximately 12 acres. The exact placement of the arrays with the area is to be determined by the Contractor in consultation with the SI.

o Permanent fence installation: The design must include an 8’ high chain link fence that penetrates at least 18” into the subsurface in order to prevent entry and subsequent crop damage from varmints. The design must include at least one non-powered access gate, matching the fence and providing an open width of 25 feet Contiguous interconnected fencing will encompass the entirety of the agrivoltaics array site, to include associated experimentation space (not only solar/electrical equipment) o Agrivoltaics project design will take into consideration ground cover/vegetation management requirements to ensure the safety and ease of future grounds maintenance.

Environmentally friendly options should be considered.

o Post-construction ground cover shall be native low growth, cannot be invasive, and must be selected with system function and ease of system maintenance in mind.

Road Work o The design and construction must include a compliant access road. The finalized site must comply with Anne Arundel County and Local fire department access requirements, including an emergency access turn-around. Basic requirements are specified below but shall be confirmed with cognizant authorities.

i. IFC Appx D, NFPA 1.

ii. Must be permeable and support 40 tons.

iii. Must be 20 feet wide.

iv. Must have 10 feet of separation from structures.

v. Must have large enough turnaround for equipment.

o BGE road requirements must also be adhered to. In the case of any conflict between BGE and County requirements, the stricter requirement must be adhered to such that all requirements are satisfied.

o Paving design must accommodate fire department and BGE vehicle loads.

o Include 25 feet of space between arrays and fence as an edge buffer (no paving or gravel

- just ground cover).

Sediment & Erosion Control and Stormwater Management o The contractor will be responsible for the preparation, submission (via SI), and approval/permitting of all required storm water management and erosion control plans.

The cost for the preparation and approval shall be included in the proposal and the awarded contract.

o Contractor shall resolve all MD Department of the Environment requirements to obtain necessary permits.

Site Utilities:

o Electrical service shall be provided as needed to fulfill all contract requirements.

o Existing utility locations shown on site maps are approximate. Contractor is responsible for verifying all utilities, obtaining utility locate services, and coordinating any conflicts.

Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals and Product Information:

Contractor shall provide manufacturer’s product information for all installed equipment and components and shall provide comprehensive O&M Manuals for the entire system and its major components and subsystems.

Contractor shall supply SI two copies of all Component Product Data and Component O&M manuals after successful startup. The information shall be sufficient for SI to either perform the O& or evaluate and ensure appropriate O&M is being completed over the life of the system.

Examples of components include solar panels, conduits, inverters, switch gear, net metering equipment, etc. Project as-builts that detail the locations of all above and underground utilities and components shall be submitted within 30 days of system start-up.

OPTION 1:

Operation and Maintenance of the Agrivoltaics System:

Provide O&M services for a period of one (1) year with the opportunity to exercise further options to extend this service for up to four (4) additional one-year periods. The O&M services to be provided shall be fully articulated in the proposal and shall include, at a minimum:

General O&M services:

o Online monitoring o Performance monitoring, notification, and troubleshooting – must have personnel available to notify SERC of an outage or decrease in system production. Outage notifications shall be made within one-hour from the start of the outage with an on-site response to begin corrective actions within 24-hours.

o Corrective maintenance to mitigate any risk to the system or minimize down time.

o System Performance Reports that compare actual production to predicted.

o No less than two preventative maintenance and inspections per year to identify and fix problems before they occur, including infrared photography for hot spots, manufacturer recommended maintenance, hardware torque checks, IV-curve tracking or equivalent, and array cleanings.

o Ground cover and vegetation management within the fenced-in area to preclude interference with system operation shall be included in the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) proposal.

o Cost-plus to address corrective and unpredicted system needs.

Specific O&M services will include:

o Structure – Annually Visually inspect the structure for excessive wear and repair with cold galvanized paint.

Visually inspect the structure ground bonding straps and repair and replace bonding straps as needed.

Spot check structural bolts for torque.

o Modules – Annually Visually inspect the array for damaged modules, including but not limited to hail damage. Spot-check mounting hardware for torque. Wash modules (rinse, brush, rinse).

o Combiner Box (Recombiner Box) – Annually Tighten all lugs inside equipment.

Check all fuses for cleared fuse. Replace any cleared fuses.

o Inverter and Transformer Enclosure – Annually Visually inspect the enclosure for rust/corrosion, repair by sanding area and touchup painting.

Clear out dust, dirt, etc. from inverter enclosure, fan, and heat sink.

Tighten all lugs inside inverter.

Check for proper cooling fan operation after inverter is restarted.

o Testing – Annually Test and record all circuits, voltage, current, light, temperature at sites using standard test procedure and log sheet supplied by the operator at the time of testing. Repair any faulty circuits. Log and report kWh totals for SI meter.

OPTION 2

Agricultural Water Well System:

The contractor shall provide pricing for a well system to supply each array suitable irrigation for year-round usage for agricultural purposes only. The well shall produce a minimum of 250gpm to support farming operations, with the following minimum requirements:

Drilling should be conducted by setting a surface casing.

Once surface casing is set contractor should continue with slim hole drilling followed by reaming.

After reaming, the final production casing shall be a minimum 8-inch schedule 40 black steel pipe with plain-end welded joints, installed to a minimum of 400 feet.

A screen shall be used on the pipe at 50 feet in length 8-inch, wire wrapped stainless steel screen (304 stainless steel).

The piping must be gravel packed and grouted.

Pump must be tested with a 250gpm test pump; pump testing shall continue for 24 hours using a data logger and well shall be allowed to recover 12 hours after.

The contractor shall install a minimum of 30 horsepower, 480V, 3 Phase submersible pump rated at 250gpm.

Install VFD pump control.

Well shall include gpm flow meter(s) and gauge(s) capable of measuring and recording total gallons used in addition to any measurement systems required by MDE.

Chlorinate and test system as required by Anne Arundel County Health Department and MDE.

D - Packaging and Marking Submittals must be delivered to https://www.dropbox.com/request/DeP3uaIaA1weP7iTVWiJ by 3:00

PM ET on Monday June 22, 2026.

Separate files for the Technical and Cost Proposals.

Each file shall be label with the Company Name, File Name , Solicitation Name/ Number

If any pricing information is on the Technical Proposal, you will be disqualified.

E - Inspection and Acceptance

52.246-S0038 Smithsonian Institution Inspection and Acceptance (Jun 2000)

Inspection and acceptance may be made on a daily basis on work performed at the job site, by the Contracting Officers Technical Representative. All work shall be coordinated through the COTR for acceptance of work, payrolls and invoice(s).

52.246-S0039 Final Inspection and Tests (Jun 2000)

The requirements of the Inspection of Construction clause prescribed in FAR 52.246-12, are supplemented to provide that the Contractor shall give the Contracting Officer at least 10 calendar days advance written notice of the date the work will be fully completed and ready for final inspection and tests. Final inspection and tests will be started within 10 calendar days from the date specified in the aforesaid notice unless the Contracting Officer determines that the work is not ready for final inspection and so informs the Contractor.

52.246-S0057 Inspection (January 2023)

(a) Upon proper notice and during normal working hours, the Smithsonian Institution reserves the right to perform any inspections and tests as deemed necessary to assure that the Contractor is performing in accordance with the terms and specifications as set forth herein.

(b) Inspection may be at the Contractor's place of business or at any location where work is being performed in conjunction with this contract.

(c) Inspection by the Smithsonian Institution shall not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for any or all quality control aspects during the life of the contract. This shall include quality control for items covered by this contract that may be subcontracted.

52.246-S0058 Acceptance (January 2023)

(a) The supplies and services rendered under this contract will be accepted and approved by the Contracting Officer or a designated representative thereto. Such approval will indicate acceptability to the Smithsonian https://www.dropbox.com/request/DeP3uaIaA1weP7iTVWiJ https://www.dropbox.com/request/DeP3uaIaA1weP7iTVWiJ

Institution of performance in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract, and will be subject to applicable warranties. The Smithsonian Institution reserves the right to reject works not conforming to prescribed contract requirements.

(b) Neither the Smithsonian Institution's reviews, approval, or acceptance of services and/or supplies, nor payment for any of the services or supplies required under this contract shall be construed to operate as a waiver of action arising out of the performance of this contract. Furthermore, the Contractor shall be and remain liable to the Smithsonian Institution in accordance with applicable law for all damages to the Smithsonian Institution caused by the Contractor's negligent performance of any of the supplies or services furnished under this contract.

(c) Acceptance by the Smithsonian Institution does not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for correction of errors or omissions that may arise after such acceptance if the errors and omissions are clearly a fault in Contractor performance.

F - Deliveries or Performance

52.211-S0025 Commencement, Prosecution, and Completion of Work (Jun 2000)

(a) Definitions.

(1) The Contract Time is the period of time allotted in the Contract Documents for Final Completion of the Work as defined in this Construction Contract Clause, including authorized extensions thereto. The Contractor shall complete his Work within the Contract Time as stated in the SF 1442, or as modified.

(2) The date of commencement of the Work is the date established in the Notice To Proceed issued by the C.O. Submission by the Contractor of its Performance and Payment Bonds, Preliminary Schedule and all Certificates of Insurance and their approval by the S.I. are conditions precedent to the issuance of the Notice to Proceed. The Contractor shall not commence the Work or store materials or equipment on site until written Notice to Proceed is issued or until the Contractor otherwise receives the written consent of the C.O.

(3) The date of Substantial Completion of the Work or designated portion thereof is the date certified by the COTR when the Work or a designated portion thereof is sufficiently complete, in accordance with the Contract Documents, so the S.I. can fully occupy the Work or designated portion thereof for the use for which it is intended, with all of the Project's parts and systems operable as required by the Contract Documents. Only punch list work and any final cleaning beyond that needed for the S.I.'s full use may remain for Final Completion.

(4) The date of Final Completion of the Work is the date certified by the COTR when the Work is totally complete, to include punch list work and final clean up, in accordance with the Contract Documents and the S.I. may fully occupy and fully utilize the Work for the use for which it is intended.

(5) If a date or time of completion is included in the Contract, it shall be the Date of Final Completion as defined in this Construction Contract Clause, including authorized extensions thereto, unless otherwise provided.

(6) The term Day as used in the Contract Documents shall mean calendar day unless otherwise specifically designated. All dates shall mean midnight of the indicated day unless otherwise stipulated.

(b) Progress and Completion.

(1) All time limits stated in the Contract Documents are of the essence of the Contract.

(2) The Contractor shall prosecute the Work diligently to Final Completion.

(c) Delays and Extensions of Time.

(1) The time during which the Contractor is delayed in the performance of the Work, by the acts or omissions of the S.I., the Architect, or their employees or agents, acts of God, unusually severe and abnormal climatic conditions, fires, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, strikes, riots, civil commotion or freight embargoes, or other conditions beyond the Contractor's control and which the Contractor could not reasonably have foreseen and provided against, shall be added to the Contract Time;

provided, however, that no claim by the Contractor for an extension of time for delays will be considered unless made in compliance with the requirements of this Article and other provisions of the Contract Documents.

(2) Neither the S.I., nor the Architect shall be obligated or liable to the Contractor for, and the Contractor hereby expressly waives any claims against the S.I. and the Architect on account of any indirect or direct damages, costs or expenses of any nature which the Contractor, Subcontractors, of Suppliers or any other person may incur as a result of any delays, interference, changes in sequence or the like, which are reasonable, foreseeable, contemplated, or avoidable by the Contractor, arising from or out of any act or omission of the S.I. of the Architect, or their agents, employees, consultants, separate contractors or any governmental representative, it being understood and agreed that the Contractor's sole and exclusive remedy in any such events shall be an extension of the Contract Time, but only as determined in accordance with the provisions of the Contract Documents.

(3) The Contract Time shall be adjusted only for Change Orders pursuant to the Construction Contract Clause entitled "Changes", excusable delays pursuant to Construction Contract Clause entitled "Delays and Extensions of Time" and Construction Contract Clause entitled "Smithsonian Institution's Right to Stop or to Suspend the Work". In the event the Contractor requests an extension of the Contract Time, he shall furnish such justification and supporting evidence as the C.O. may deem necessary for a determination of whether the Contractor is entitled to an extension of time under the provisions of the Contract. The burden of proof to substantiate a claim for an extension of the Contract Time shall rest with the Contractor, including evidence that the cause was beyond his control. The C.O. shall base his findings of fact and decision on such justification and supporting evidence and shall advise the Contractor in writing thereof. If the C.O. finds that the Contractor is entitled to any extension of the Contract Time, the C.O.'s determination of the total number of days' extension shall be based upon the currently approved Progress Schedule and on all data relevant to the extension. Such data will be incorporated into the Progress Schedule in the form of a revision thereto, accomplished in a timely manner.