847663solarMOntpa.pdf

Montgomery County RFP 26-48 Office of Sustainability

Eagleville Solar

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PROFILE

Montgomery County is located approximately twenty miles west of Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Governed by a three-member Board of Commissioners, the County government is a large diverse organization whose mission is to provide quality services in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Montgomery County, with over 850,000 residents, is the third most populated County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the population is larger than 4 states (Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, and North Dakota). Some of the services the County government provides its citizens include human services, a highly regarded community college, child welfare, an outstanding park and historic site system, mental health services, and a judiciary recognized as one of the Commonwealth’s finest.

INTRODUCTION

The County of Montgomery (County) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide recommendaƟons for the locaƟon and installaƟon of solar arrays. The County has idenƟfied possible ground and roof locaƟons, however there are also several addiƟonal ground and rooŌop locaƟons that may be suitable.

The County has an exisƟng federally funded agreement with a professional engineering consultant to perform certain feasibility, site invesƟgaƟon, and design-support services relaƟng to the proposed solar project. Approximately $160,000 in grant funding is currently anƟcipated to remain available, subject to the terms of the grant and the exisƟng consultant agreement. The selected proposer will be required to coordinate in good faith with the County and its exisƟng consultant regarding services that fall within the consultant’s authorized contractual scope. The County will retain responsibility for direcƟng and compensaƟng its consultant. Proposers shall idenƟfy the assumpƟons used in accounƟng for the consultant’s anƟcipated services and shall separately describe any corresponding reducƟon in proposed development costs or Power Purchase Agreement rates. Nothing in this solicitaƟon guarantees that the enƟre remaining grant balance will be expended or relieves the selected proposer of responsibility for the performance of its obligaƟons under the resulƟng agreement.

In this Request for Proposals, the County is seeking proposals to negotiate and award a contract Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) using the Respondent's preferred FEOC-compliant equipment.

PROJECT OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND

Respondents should include a form of their Power Purchase Agreement including the following basic terms:

Expected Rate, Expected Term(s) being offered, Inflators for Rate and years in which they will apply, Amount of costs related to interconnection built into the proposal, Whether any changes in Trade Tariffs could impact Expected Rate or Inflators, Performance Guarantees, True up Process, Early termination provisions.

Eagleville Solar

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INFORMATION

All responses must be uploaded onto the Euna/Bonfire portal. Only those RFP responses received prior to or on the submission date will be considered. AŌer the submission date and Ɵme specified above, responses must remain firm for a period of sixty (60) days.

Offeror must submit both a “Technical Proposal” (NO PRICING) and a “Cost Proposal” as separate documents as part of its proposal package. In addition, a current W9 and completed Appendix “A” document must be uploaded.

It is the responsibility of the Respondent to ensure that its response is received by the date and Ɵme specified above. All costs (including travel) incurred in the preparaƟon of a response will be the responsibility of the Respondent and will not be reimbursed by the County or any other enƟty.

All quesƟons regarding this SpecificaƟon must be submiƩed via the Messages/Vendor Discussions secƟon of this SolicitaƟon in Bonfire.

PROJECT SCOPE

It is the intent of this project to supply 95% of the electricity needs on the Campus. The approximate annual electrical usage on the Campus is 6,800 MWH.

The successful Respondent will ulƟmately be responsible for providing fully operaƟng solar arrays, including but not limited to:

Assessment of building's structural integrity, roof condiƟon and shading limitaƟons. The Contractor will coordinate and hire the structural engineering review, if required, with a cerƟfied professional engineer with the building owner’s approval of date/Ɵme of inspecƟon.

Conduct geotechnical surveys and prepare permiƫng, ground clearing, fencing, etc. for ground-mounted systems.

Securing all permits and approvals from governing agencies and preparing the uƟlity interconnecƟon applicaƟon, as well as all labor, taxes, services, permit fees, uƟlity interconnecƟon costs, inspecƟon fees, materials and equipment necessary to produce a fully operaƟonal solar photovoltaic system.

Oversee the sourcing of solar panels, inverters, balance of system (BOS), uƟlity isolaƟon switch, export meter pan, detected uƟlity meter replacement, and other necessary equipment to assure, to the largest extent possible, that the domesƟc content requirements are saƟsfied.

Oversee the installaƟon of the solar panels and out meters, through Permission to Operate.

Successfully have the solar PV system commissioned, including drone thermal imaging or equivalent, of the solar PV arrays, and provide results to the County.

Obtain Permission to Operate.

For each array, the Respondent shall be responsible for designing and carrying the cost of a Code compliant connecƟon that complies with all applicable codes, laws, rules, and regulaƟons, including all necessary equipment for such connecƟon. The County requires that all design choices that can affect the aestheƟc of the buildings be submiƩed for approval with all responses to this RFP. The County reserves the right to reject any items proposed during construcƟon but not submiƩed with the RFP and require the Respondent to recƟfy at the Respondent's expense. All aestheƟc items e.g., disconnects, new exterior conduit, and the like, must be screened and hidden to the greatest extent pracƟcable to the saƟsfacƟon of the County.

Eagleville Solar

The successful respondent will have demonstrated experience designing, planning, scheduling, permiƫng, staging, construcƟng, interconnecƟng, and maintaining commercial scale solar PV systems.

Respondents with NABCEP cerƟfied employees, or other relevant cerƟficaƟons, are preferred. However, the absence of a relevant cerƟficaƟon does not preclude a Respondent from being selected, but relevant experience must be provided in its absence. It is expected that Respondents will have experience with successful compleƟon of at least 5 projects of similar scope and successful integraƟon and interconnecƟon agreements with PECO to support the projects.

The Respondent shall provide three (3) references that can corroborate this experience. Respondents shall idenƟfy all subcontractors and other people and organizaƟons. Such informaƟon shall be accompanied by an experience statement with perƟnent informaƟon to similar projects and other evidence of qualificaƟon for each such subcontractor, person and organizaƟon.

All administraƟve requirements to interconnect the solar arrays shall be within the Respondent’s scope.

These are expected to include, but are not limited to: engineering, licensing, permiƫng, coordinaƟon with PECO, interconnecƟon agreement(s). All specified equipment in Respondent’s proposal should meet Build America Buy America (BABA) requirements pursuant to InflaƟon ReducƟon Act (IRA) guidelines if that provides the best value to the County. Respondent shall include support as needed for applicaƟon for Federal tax credit, system registraƟon with PennAEPs as a CerƟfied AlternaƟve Energy Credit generator, applicable PECO rebate(s), and any other incenƟve/grant programs that are idenƟfied by the County.

Contractor is responsible for compliance with all applicable codes at the Ɵme of project permiƫng and construcƟon.

Concept level electrical design and Ɵe in of the proposed array systems. This should include at minimum a single line diagram of the exisƟng systems and the Ɵe in for the new solar array, idenƟficaƟon of Ɵe in locaƟon, jusƟficaƟon for choosing the Ɵe in locaƟon, and qualificaƟons of the designer. If idenƟfied, necessary upgrades to electrical systems shall be idenƟfied, line-item costs for each specified upgrade presented, and a jusƟficaƟon as to why they are necessary shall be included.

Confirm exisƟng structural infrastructure can support the proposed array. MounƟng systems shall limit roof penetraƟons or be fully ballasted. MounƟng system design needs to meet applicable local building code requirements with respect to snow and wind loading factors, as well as setbacks from serviceable equipment and the roof perimeters. Solar system installaƟon must not void the roof warranty.

Drawing of proposed array overlayed on an aerial of the exisƟng roof including designated areas for exisƟng equipment, walkways and maintenance of rooŌop equipment. System layout shall meet local fire department, code and ordinance requirements for roof access. how plan view of expected conductor runs and locaƟons of key electrical equipment. Conduit penetraƟons shall be minimized.

DescripƟon of key solar array characterisƟcs o Installed DC and AC system capaciƟes o Technical specificaƟons of key equipment including racking, inverters, and solar panels used o First year of annual generaƟon o Review of shading o Annual panel degradaƟon o Design basis for worst-case wind and snow loads on solar panels and racking

All ground level equipment shall contain security fencing and be screened from view to retain the aestheƟc integrity of the site. The Respondent shall include a plan detailing how the visual impact of all required ground equipment will be miƟgated.

Provide all warranƟes and guarantees of the equipment to be installed.

Include a prospecƟve schedule of the project including key milestones such as:

o Permiƫng o InterconnecƟon agreement o Procurement o InstallaƟon o Commissioning o Permission to operate

Eagleville Solar

Eagleville Campus Proposed Solar LocaƟons

The below aerial picture indicates proposed solar array locaƟons, as well as addiƟonal potenƟal roof locaƟons. The Montgomery County CorrecƟonal Facility buildings, located on the campus and not shown in this picture, are undergoing a mulƟ-year roof replacement project, and are not available for solar array installaƟon.

Background checks are required for all people working on the Campus. Background checks will be completed by the MCCF.

PROPOSAL CONTENT & ORGANIZATION (REQUIRED TABS)

INTRODUCTIONS (No Tab Needed)

A. Title Page Must include the following:

i. Name of this RFP.

ii. Name, address, telephone number, and email to the respondent.

iii. Name/Ɵtle of person authorized to commit the respondent to contractual arrangements.

B. Table of Contents Broken into secƟons and sub-secƟons.

C. LeƩer of TransmiƩal

a. Provide a cover leƩer explaining the Respondent’s understanding of the scope of services, a narraƟve as to why it is qualified to undertake the services described herein and any informaƟon about why it might have a compeƟƟve advantage over other Respondents considering the Ɵmeline and requirements to obtain the ITC. The cover leƩer shall be signed by an individual authorized to contractually bind the Respondent.

b. Include with the cover leƩer, a statement idenƟfying who will serve as the primary contact.

The statement shall set forth brief details of the firm's principal acƟviƟes, the number of personnel in the firm and the firm's locaƟon.

c. The proposal must list the locaƟon and address of the present, acƟve office that will service and manage this contract.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS (TAB 1)

The respondent shall provide the identity and the credentials of the principals and other key personnel working for the Contractor and their areas of responsibilities.

A. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND EXPERIENCE

a. Describe the organization/company’s experience and capabilities providing EPC services to for-profit companies, not-for-profit companies and, to municipal governments and government agencies, including ones of similar size to the County.

b. Confirm whether your organization/company has experience installing solar projects in Pennsylvania, and in PECO’s territory and/or adjacent states. State how many years your organization/company has been in business and how many of those years your company has been active in solar installation work.

c. Be specific and detail no more than five projects/contracts; description of work, size of installation, dates, locations, challenges and results. Include whether project was delivered on time, on budget and successfully in other respects.

d. Provide a list of (3) three references for whom similar services have been provided. Include the following in your response:

Name of organizaƟon. Preference for government agency or not-for-profit.

Contact person’s name, posiƟon, and current telephone number.

e. Confirm that your organization/company has sufficient bonding capacity for anticipated total cost of work from a surety and insurance company that is on the current Department of Treasury's Listing of Approved Sureties (Department Circular 570).

B. KEY PERSONNEL EXPERIENCE

a. Identify key staff your organization/company will assign to fulfill the contract requirements.

Detail what roles each will have. Provide a synopsis describing the educational and work experience for each key staff member who would be assigned to the Solar Projects with a focus on experience with similar size and scope projects. Identify any subcontractors and do the same for key staff of the subcontractor.

b. Summarize what specialized expertise your team will bring, and how it meets the needs of this project.

c. Confirm that your company employs at least three NABCEP PVIP-Certified professionals.

C. SUBCONTRACTORS AND PARTNERS

Identify all subcontractors on project. Summarize all key members/companies of the project team and provide brief explanation of their experience, including, but not limited to, subcontractors and/or partners assisting in the project. Indicate which party or person will serve as the main contact and project manager for the project, who is responsible for equipment procurement, who coordinates permit applications and inspection, who prepares the utility interconnection application, who serves as the on-site lead for the construction/installation during the installation, and who will be the client contact for operations and maintenance issues post installation.

Describe which party will be organizing legal review, and operations and maintenance.

PROJECT NARRATIVE (TAB 2)

A. Describe your approach to meet the needs of the project scope and requirements. Describe your general philosophy regarding EPC roles, specifically when managing government projects of similar size and scope. Give specific examples of techniques that have proven successful and for which projects and agencies they were used.

B. Describe whether the Contractor has had a contract terminated for default during the past ten years?

All such incidents must be described. TerminaƟon for default is defined as noƟce to stop performance due to the Respondent’s nonperformance or poor performance; and the issue was either (a) not liƟgated or (b) liƟgated, and such liƟgaƟon determined the Contractor to be in default. Present the Contractor’s posiƟon on maƩer. If no such terminaƟons for default have been experienced by the Contractor in the past ten years, declare so. If the Contractor has had a contract terminated for convenience, nonperformance, non-allocaƟon of funds, or any other reason which terminaƟon occurred before compleƟon of the contract during the past five years, describe fully all such terminaƟons.

C. Answer these key quesƟons:

a. For the past 20 commercial solar projects your organizaƟon has worked on, have more than five of these solar projects you have worked on incurred delays of more than 90 days beyond your esƟmated Ɵmeline (for the porƟon of the project aŌer interconnecƟon approval, excluding customer delays or delays caused by the uƟlity).

b. Has the Respondent or any of its successor firms filed for a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy in the past five years?

A Contractor response that indicates that the requested informaƟon will only be provided, when, the Contractor is selected as the apparently successful Contractor is not an acceptable response.

PROJECT APPROACH (TAB 3)

Provide the following informaƟon regarding your project implementaƟon approach:

A. EsƟmated size of the proposed PV system(s) (esƟmated nameplate DC and AC kW capaciƟes) and esƟmated first-year annual energy producƟon under standard test condiƟons.

B. Basic descripƟon of the proposed components including PV panels (number, brand and waƩage), inverters and racking, providing at least one esƟmate for a North American-manufactured PV panel in the proposal (can be presented as an addiƟonal cost adder), if not included in the base proposal.

C. EsƟmated number of Solar Renewal Energy Credits (SRECs) that will be produced each year through at least Year 10 and indicate which enƟty will own the SRECs.

D. Provide an illustraƟon or preliminary design of the proposed layout of the solar array(s) on the County’s property using a solar industry standard design model, such as Helioscope or equivalent. [Detailed electrical and CAD drawings are not required for this proposal but will be necessary to provide to County if chosen for the final projects.]

PROJECT SCHEDULE (TAB 4)

UƟlize the milestones below to provide a summary-level CriƟcal Path Method schedule from design through construcƟon administraƟon and project close-out.

Description Duration of Task in Weeks

Design & Engineering; Approval for Interconnection Procurement of Racking, Solar Panels, Inverters & BOS Installation/Construction Labor Commissioning, Electrical Inspection and Interconnection Approval Permission to Operate

Total Project Duration

A. Describe the Contractor’s schedule for availability to work on the project and flexibility to provide the needed services throughout the project.

B. Detail your firm's understanding of the challenges and barriers of successfully compleƟng the Solar Projects on Ɵme and on budget for a government agency of our size and proposed approach to overcome these barriers.

Respondents shall submit comments on the feasibility of the proposed schedule, idenƟfy threats to meet the project compleƟon date, and recommend an alternate schedule describing raƟonale and schedule threat miƟgaƟon.

PRELIMINARY COST PROPOSAL (TAB 5)

Include the following in the Preliminary Cost Proposal in an Excel Spreadsheet:

A. EsƟmated turnkey price of the proposed PV system(s) and unitary price ($/waƩ) exclusive of Federal Investment Tax Credits or Direct Pay amounts expected under the InflaƟon ReducƟon Act.

Include all scenarios that include all possible tax credit-equivalent reducƟons based on the IRA provisions for domesƟc content, prevailing wage, energy communiƟes’ low-income communiƟes, if applicable.

B. The PPA supply rate ($/kWh), an esƟmated return on investment calculaƟon, including a 25-year cash flow esƟmate with annual savings, esƟmated or range of anƟcipated cost of electricity (in kWh) using an annual uƟlity escalator. For the purpose, assume the Eagleville Campus will be paying $.098 per kWh in 2028, and supply costs will increase by 3% per year for the first 6 years, and then 2% per year thereaŌer

C. EsƟmated Power Purchase Agreement scenario(s), if any, with esƟmated cost compared to current and esƟmated future electricity prices (as outlined above). In addiƟon to the above required informaƟon, for each PPA scenario included, please outline:

a. Term(s) in years of Power Purchase Agreements being offered,

b. Up-front (if any) cost to site host,

c. PPA iniƟal rate per kWh for electricity,

d. PPA price escalator,

e. OpƟon for host buyout at years 5, 10, and 20 aŌer start of operaƟon.

f. Ownership of SRECs produced by proposed PV system,

g. Performance Guarantees,

h. True up Process,

i. Early TerminaƟon Provisions.

General Terms and CondiƟons

A. The Contract is subject to the approval of the County Commissioners and is effecƟve only aŌer its approval. A Contract, prepared by the County and signed by an authorized County signatory, shall become the document that authorizes NoƟce to Proceed. Each secƟon contained herein, the aƩachments, and any addenda and the response from the successful Respondent shall also be incorporated by reference into the resulƟng, contract; provided that in case of any conflict, the Contract terms shall prevail.

B. All responses received to the RFP become the property of the County.

C. The County may modify this RFP by the issuance of an addendum. Any addendum will be issued through Bonfire. No oral statements, explanaƟons, or commitments will be of any effect unless incorporated into a wriƩen addendum. No assignment, alteraƟon, change, or modificaƟon of the terms of the Contract shall be valid unless made in wriƟng and agreed to by both the County and the Contractor. The Contractor shall not commence any addiƟonal services or change the Scope of Services unless authorized in wriƟng by the County. Contractor shall make no claim for addiƟonal compensaƟon in the absence of a prior wriƩen approval and amendment of the Contract executed by both the Contractor and the County. The Contract may only be amended, supplemented or modified by a wriƩen document executed by the Contractor and the County.

D. In accordance with the provisions and condiƟons of the Contract, Contractor shall freely enter into the Contract for the purpose of providing Services to the County and to be compensated for the Services.

E. If a Respondent intends to request that the County enter into any agreement form in connecƟon with the award of this project, the form must be submiƩed with the Respondent for review by the County’s Solicitor during the evaluaƟon of Proposals.

F. Respondents are encouraged to add to, modify or clarify any of the scope of work items it deems appropriate to illustrate that it will prepare high-quality work at the lowest possible cost. All changes shall be listed and explained.

G. If no agreement form is included in the proposal, no such form will be approved by the County during the evaluaƟon or award processes or following award of contract. If the proposal does not indicate the proposed Contractor, or payee to be a person or company other than the Respondent, (1) only the Respondent will be considered as Contractor and (2) payments will be made only to the Respondent to whom the contract is awarded.

H. The County will in no case agree to terms not submiƩed for review with the proposal submiƩal.

I. The County reserves the right to reject all proposals, or any porƟon thereof, to request clarificaƟons as needed, and to select the RFP proposal that it judges to be in the best interest of the County

J. The County reserves the right to modify or cancel this RFP and not award a contract if all proposals are evaluated and all are deemed unsaƟsfactory. There is no guarantee that the County will determine to proceed with the Solar Projects and/or enter into a contract.

K. This RFP is not subject to the compeƟƟve bidding process. Any contract entered as a result of any response submiƩed will be based on the concept of "Best Value". Best Value is defined as the most advantageous outcome considering both price and non-price factors and does not necessarily mean the lowest-priced proposal.

L. If only one proposal is received, the County may iniƟate negoƟaƟons with the Contractor submiƫng the proposal or seek addiƟonal proposals on an informal or formal basis during the sixty-day period that proposals must remain effecƟve.

M. Contractors are required to disclose conflicts of interest to the County throughout the term of the Contract. In the event a conflict of interest arises during performance of the Contract, wriƩen disclosure must be sent within five business days. Such disclosures must be on Contractor's official leƩerhead and submiƩed to the Managing Department and designated County RepresentaƟve for this SolicitaƟon.