RFP #2158 – Solar Canopy Page 1 of 20 v03.11.2026

TOWN OF VERNON

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (“RFP”) #2158

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC CARPORT PROJECT

Submittal Date: April 16, 2026 at 1:00 pm

LATE SUBMITTALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

Prepared by:

CSW Energy, LLC

1 Prestige Drive, Suite 103, Meriden, CT 06450

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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I. LEGAL NOTICE AND INVITATION TO BID —---------------------------------------------------------- 3

II. PROJECT OVERVIEW —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

III. NRES PROGRAM AND INTERCONNECTION —---------------------------------------------------- 4

IV. PROJECT TEAM AND ADMINISTRATION —--------------------------------------------------------- 5

V. RFP SCHEDULE —-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5

VI. SITE ACCESS AND PRE-BID MEETING —------------------------------------------------------------- 5

VII. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS —--------------------------------------------------------------- 6

VIII. SCOPE OF WORK – CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES —------------------------------------- 8

IX. SCOPE OF WORK - TOWN WORK --------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

X. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION —---------------------------------------------------------- 16

XI. PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND CRITERIA —--------------------------------------------------------- 17

XII. ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL TERMS —------------------------------------------------------------ 18

XIII. RFP FEE AGREEMENT (CSW DEVELOPMENT FEE) —-------------------------------------------- 19

XIV. RFP EXHIBITS —--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20

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I. LEGAL NOTICE AND INVITATION TO BID

The Town of Vernon (“Town”) is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified solar Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contractors (“Contractor” or “Bidder”) for the design, engineering, procurement, installation, and commissioning of a front -of -meter solar carport system (“System”) at the Town of Vernon

Department of Public Works (“DPW” or “Facility” or “Site”). CSW Energy (“CSW”) is supporting the Town as part of the Project Team.

There will be a mandatory pre -bid conference on March 25, 2026 at 10:00 am, at the Vernon Department of Public Works, 383 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT 06066. Walk -through attendees must remain at the walk-through until its completion. Proposals from any parties/firms who fail to attend this mandatory walk -through will be d isqualified without further consideration.

Two (2) copies of the proposal should be submitted in a sealed envelope marked “BID DOCUMENT - DO

NOT OPEN - CONTRACT #2158 - SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC CARPORT PROJECT” clearly marked on the outside of the envelope to: Jo hn W. Kleinhans, Town Administrator, Town of Vernon, Memorial Building, 14 Park

Place, 3rd Floor, Vernon, Connecticut 06066 no later than April 16, 2026 at 1:00 pm. Emailed, faxed or late bids will not be accepted.

Proposals shall be opened and read alo ud publicly on April 16, 2026 at 1:00 pm . Bid results will be posted on the Town website.

Each bidder must provide a certified check or bid bond for five percent (5%) of the bid as provided in the information for Bidders. All bonds must be from sureties l isted on the most recent U.S. Treasury Circular

570. No Bid may be withdrawn for a period of 90 days after the actual date of the opening.

The selected firm must meet all municipal, state and federal AA and EEO practices and requirements. MBE's, WBE's, SBE's are encouraged to apply. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or part, to award any one service or group of services or all services, to negotiate with any or all companies submitting proposals, and to enter into an agreement with any company for any services mentioned in this

RFP; if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Town.

Confidentiality - If Respondent believes that any information in its proposal should be treated as confidential that material shall be clearly marked. The Town shall endeavor to protect confidential material from disclosure to non -Town employees to the extent permitted by Stat e or Federal law. In no event will the Town be responsible for the inadvertent disclosure of your response to this RFP.

John W. Kleinhans, Town Administrator

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II. PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Town of Vernon is pursuing this project to reduce municipal ener gy costs, demonstrate leadership in renewable energy implementation, and provide cover for municipal vehicles and equipment.

The proposed solar carport will operate as a front -of -meter system under the Connecticut Non - Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (“NRES”) Buy-All / Sell-All Tariff (“BASA”), interconnected to the existing utility company transformer serving the DPW.

Key Project Parameters

● System Size: Approximately 200–250 kW-DC (≤ 200 kW-AC under NRES program cap)

● Ownership: Town of Vernon (tu rnkey EPC de live ry)

● Total Budget: $900,000, consisting of:

○ $865,000 m axim um EPC con tract va lue

○ $35,000 fixed Deve lopm e nt Fee

● Site: Town of Vernon Departm ent of Pub lic Works, 375 Hartford Turnp ike , Vernon , CT 06066

● Program Participation: NRES BASA

● Support Work: Certa in construction support activitie s pe rform ed by the Town (see Section

IX. Scope of Work - Town Work)

Project Goals

1. Deliver a cost -effective solar carp ort system that maximizes annual energy generation within the established budget.

2. Achieve compliance with NRES BASA and Eversource interconnection requirements.

3. Complete design, permitting, construction, and commissioning within the approved schedule.

4. Utilize Town -performed support work efficiently to minimize overall cost and disruption.

III. NRES PROGRAM AND INTERCONNECTION

The project has been awarded a Year 4 NRES BASA tariff.

The awarded Contractor (“Awardee”) shall prepare and submit all interconnection applications to Eversource, manage all correspondence, coordinate technical review and witness testing, and secure the written Approval to Energize. The Cont ractor shall also complete all program documentation and provide proof of final registration and close -out.

Standard utility application fees are the Contractor’s responsibility. Should Eversource require system upgrades, such costs will be treated as pass -throughs to the Town, subject to prior written approval.

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IV. PROJECT TEAM AND ADMINISTRATION

● Owner / Is suing Authority: Town of Vernon

● Procurement Contact: Public Works Department

● Email: dryniewicz@vernon-ct .gov

● Owner’s Development Advisor: CSW LLC

All correspondence, questions, and clarifications shall be di rected only to the Director of Public Works via email at dryniewicz@vernon -ct.gov.

Contact with other Town departments, officials, site personnel, or CSW regarding this RFP is strictly prohibited.

V. RFP SCHEDULE

Proposal Validity: Proposals shall remain valid for ninety (90) calendar days from the submission deadline.

Addenda: Only written addenda issued by the Town will modify this RFP.

VI. SITE ACCESS AND PRE-BID MEETING

There will be a mandatory pre -bid conference at 10:00 AM on March 25, 2026, at the Vernon

Department of Public Works, 383 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT 06066. The meeting will include a brief site walk to review existing conditions and coordination requir ements. Unauthorized independent site visits are not permitted.

All available surveys, drawings, or site photos are provided as RFP Exhibit A or additional files may be provided by addendum.

Milestone Date / Time

RFP Posting March 11, 2026

Mandatory Site Visit March 25, 2026 at 10:00 am

Intent to Bid Due April 1, 2026

Bidder Questions Due April 1, 2026

Final Addendum Issued April 8, 2026

Proposal Due April 16, 2026 at 1:00 pm mailto:dryniewicz@vernon-ct.gov mailto:dryniewicz@vernon-ct.gov

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Each Bidder is responsible for examining the Project site, reviewing all RFP documents, and becoming fu lly in form ed of existing cond itions, constra in ts, u tilitie s, access lim ita tions, and a ll factors a ffecting the scope of work (“Work”). Subm ission of a Proposa l constitu te s conclusive evidence tha t the Bidde r has pe rform ed a ll necessary due d iligence , site reviews, m easurem ents, and investiga tions.

No a llowance will be m ade for cla im s arising from a Bidde r’s fa ilu re to exam ine the site or p rope rly in te rpre t existing conditions, d rawings, records, or RFP docum ents. The Contractor assum es a ll risks associa ted with conditions tha t cou ld have been iden tified th rough reasonab le site exam ination and docum ent review.

Walk-th rough a ttendees m ust rem ain a t the walk-th rough un til its com ple tion . Proposa ls from any partie s/firm s who fa il to a ttend th is m andatory walk-th rough will be d isqua lified withou t fu rthe r conside ra tion .

VII. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

1. All bidder inquiries shall be submitted via email to Dwight Ryniewicz, Director of Public Works by e-mail at dryniewicz@vernon -ct.gov, no later than April 1, 2026 , at 3:30 PM. Answers to questions received will be posted by April 8, 2026 , on the Town’s website at www.vernon -ct.gov/government/bid -opportunties and at the Connecticut State Department of Administrative Services (DAS) at https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/CTSource by referencing Contract # 2158. It is the sole responsibility of the respondent to review any or all addendum or question responses related to this RFP. The RFP will be available electronically on CSW: https://solar -rfp.com/ vernoncarport

2. Two (2) copies of the proposal should be submitted in a sealed envelope marked “ BID

DOCUMENT- DO NOT OPEN - CONTRACT #2158 - SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC CARPORT

PROJECT” clearly marked on the outside of the envelope to: John W. Kleinhans, Town Administrator, Town of Vernon, Memorial Building, 14 Park Place, 3rd Floor, Vernon, Connecticut 06066 no later than April 16, 2026. Emailed, faxed or late bids will not be accepted.

3. Proposals shall be opened and read aloud publicly on April 16, 2026 at 1:00 pm . Bid results will be posted on the Town website.

4. The attached proposal is signed by the bidder with full knowledge of, and agreement with, the general specifications, conditions, and requirements of this bid.

5. Proposals must be submitted on the enclosed form with any required bid security.

6. Bids receiv ed later than the time and date specified in the "Request for Proposals" will not be considered. Withdrawal of bids, received later than the time and date set for the bid opening, will not be considered.

mailto:dryniewicz@vernon-ct.gov http://www.vernon-ct.gov/government/bid-opportunties http://www.vernon-ct.gov/government/bid-opportunties https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/CTSource https://solar-rfp.com/ https://solar-rfp.com/vernoncarport https://solar-rfp.com/vernoncarport https://solar-rfp.com/vernoncarport

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7. Not responsib le for de fects to e lectronica lly-m ailed contracts.

8. Bids rece ived be fore the advertised opening hour will be secure ly kept sea led . The office r whose duty it is to open them will decide when the specified tim e has a rrived and no b id rece ived thereafte r will be conside red .

Town of Vernon office hours:

Monday – 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Tuesday – 8:00 am – 7:00 Pm Wednesday - 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Thursday – 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Friday - closed

9. All de liverie s of com m oditie s hereunde r sha ll com ply in eve ry re spect with a ll applicable laws of the Federa l Gove rnm ent and the Sta te of Connecticu t.

10. The b idder sha ll insert the price pe r sta ted unit and extend a tota l price for each item . IN

THE EVENT THAT THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE UNIT PRICE AND THE TOTAL

PRICE EXTENSION, THE UNIT PRICE WILL GOVERN.

11. In accordance with the provisions of Section 12-412 (a ) of the Connecticu t Genera l Sta tu te s, the Town of Vernon is exem pt from the paym ent of Federa l or Sta te tax and such tax or taxes sha ll not be included in b id price s.

12. Unless otherwise sta ted he re in , a ll de live rie s m ade unde r th is contract m ust consist of new m erchandise . The Town will not accept additiona l fre ight or sh ipping charges.

13. The Town reserves the right to re ject any and a ll b ids, wholly or in part; to waive technica l de fects, and to m ake awards in the m anner deem ed to be in the best in te re sts of the Town.

14. The successfu l b idder m ust carry Workers ' Com pensa tion Insurance , a m inim um of $1,000,000, Bodily In jury Liability Insurance , a m inim um of $2,000,000 Property Liability Insurance , and a m inim um m otor vehicle liab ility insurance in the am ount of $1,000,000 Single Lim it, or com parable cove rage ’s and such other form s of insurance in am ounts sta ted in the Contract. All insurance m ay not be cance led or m odified without th irty (30) days written notice to the Vernon Town Adm inistra tor, 14 Park Place , Vernon, CT 06066.

15. All b ids m ust be accom panied by b id security in the sum of not le ss than five pe rcent (5%) of the tota l b id and shall be in the form of a b id bond, a ce rtified check, a treasure r's or cashie r's check drawn on a Nationa l or Sta te bank or trust com pany and sha ll be m ade payable to the "Town of Vernon". The b id security sha ll secure the execution of the contract by the successfu l b idde r.

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16. Should any b idde r to whom an award is m ade fa il to en te r in to a contract with in ten (10) days, exclusive of Sa turdays, Sundays and lega l holidays, a fte r notice of the award has been m ailed to the b idde r, the am ount so rece ived from the b idde r through h is/he r bond sha ll becom e the prope rty of the Town of Vernon, Connecticu t as liqu ida ted dam ages for fa ilure to en te r in to a contract.

17. The b id security, exclusive of the successfu l b idde r, will be re turned upon execution of the contract, bu t in no case la te r than forty-five (45) days a fte r the opening of the b ids.

The b id security of the successfu l b idde r sha ll be he ld until such tim e as a ll conditions of the proposa l have been m e t.

18. SAFETY. All work sha ll com ply with a ll pertinent OSHA, Fede ra l, Sta te , and Loca l Regula tions. OSHA-com plian t vests and hard ha ts (as work tasks d ictate ), sha ll be worn by a ll contractor’s and subcontractor’s em ployees a t a ll tim es. The contractor sha ll m ain ta in safe ty m easures a t a ll tim es when a hazard or hazards exist in or a round the work a rea . The contractor sha ll im plem ent additiona l sa fe ty m easures as d irected by the Town's repre senta tive or by othe r Sta te , Federa l, or Loca l au thorities a t no additiona l cost to the Town.

VIII. SCOPE OF WORK – CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

The following sections define the Contractor’s Work. All tasks not specifically identified as Town responsibilities shall be furnished and completed by the Contractor.

A. Design & Engineering

1. General Requirem ents The Awardee sha ll p rovide com ple te , s igned , and sea led enginee ring d rawings and specifica tions—structu ra l, e lectrica l, and civil—prepared by Profe ssiona l Enginee rs licensed in the Sta te of Connecticu t. The design sha ll dem onstra te fu ll com pliance with gove rn ing codes and standards and be deve loped in coord ina tion with the Town, its repre sen ta tive s, and the loca l u tility.

2. Site Investigation The Awardee sha ll conduct a de ta iled site investiga tion p rior to fina lizing the design . Th is includes a topograph ic and boundary survey tied to Connecticu t Sta te Plane coord ina te s, a subsurface investiga tion consisting of a t le ast two borings pe r canopy row, and a Call Be fore You Dig (CBYD) u tility m ark-ou t, an unde rgrou nd survey, and an e xisting conditions p lan iden tifying a ll known unde rground u tilitie s. A gene ra l fie ld review sha ll confirm surface grad ing, d ra inage , access rou te s, and existing u tility connections.

3. Geotechnical Analysis A geotechn ica l ana lysis sha ll be conducted to e stab lish soil characte ristics and provide foundation design recom m endations. The re su lting report sha ll iden tify a llowable bearing

RFP #2158 – Solar Canopy Page 9 of 20 v03.11.2026 pressures, lateral resistance, and frost depth. Soil borings and testing shall be sufficient to support a stam ped foundation design .

4. Civil Engineering Civil enginee ring design sha ll include grad ing and dra inage p lans tha t p re serve existing storm wate r pa tte rns and preven t ponding, a long with any tem porary or pe rm anent im provem ents requ ired for construction access or u tility rou ting. Plans shall show a ll s taging a reas, trench a lignm ents, and laydown zones. Restora tion grad ing and pavem ent de ta ils sha ll ensure sm ooth transitions and prope r dra inage upon com ple tion .

5. Electrical Engineering Electrica l enginee ring sha ll encom pass the p repara tion of a ll de sign docum ents requ ired for pe rm itting, p rocurem ent, and in te rconnection approval. Drawings sha ll include single -line d iagram s, conduit rou ting, and equ ipm ent layou ts showing the location of new d isconnects, switchgear, transform ers, and m e te ring assem blie s. The design sha ll iden tify the poin t of in te rconnection and describe the m e thod for e stab lish ing or m odifying se rvice . Coord ina tion with the loca l u tility sha ll con tinue th rough design , review, and approval p rio r to p rocurem ent. All e lectrica l system s sha ll be p rope rly bonded and grounded , and the Contractor sha ll p rovide a labe ling schem e for a ll m a jor equ ipm ent consisten t with industry standards for function and safe ty.

B. Zoning & Permitting

Build ing Pe rm it fee s will b e pa id by the Town of Vernon , bu t the pe rm it sha ll be issued unde r the se lected con tractor’s license . The Awardee sha ll ob ta in a ll necessary pe rm its and approvals requ ired by the Town and a ll o the r Authoritie s Having Jurisd iction , includ ing bu t not lim ited to bu ild ing, e lectrica l, and u tility in te rconnection pe rm its. The Contractor sha ll coord ina te with the Town’s Build ing and Enginee ring Departm ents to ensure tim e ly inspection a t key poin ts of the construction . Additiona lly, the Se lected Contractor sha ll a ttend regu lar p rogre ss m ee tings with the Build ing Com m ittee .

The p roject will be constructed on Town-owned prope rty and , as such, is not sub ject to standard zon ing se tbacks or p rope rty line re strictions. Zoning approval will be hand led adm in istra tive ly by the Town’s Plann ing and Zoning Departm ent. All Town-re la ted pe rm it fees will be waived for th is p roject.

C. Utility Interconnection & Incentives

The Awardee sha ll p repare and subm it a ll requ ired u tility in te rconnection app lica tions and m anage corre spondence with Eve rsource th roughout the review and approval p rocess. All s tandard in te rconnection and app lica tion fee s sha ll be pa id by the Awardee . Any costs associa ted with requ ired u tility system upgrades sha ll be trea ted as pass-th rough costs to the Owner. The system sha ll com ply with a ll app licab le requ irem ents unde r NRES BASA, and the Awardee sha ll coord ina te with the Town and Eve rsource to com ple te a ll re la ted docum enta tion and te sting.

D. Data Acquisition System

The Awardee sha ll fu rn ish and insta ll a com ple te we b-based Data Acquisition System (“DAS”) capab le of m onitoring rea l-tim e and h istorica l system pe rform ance . The DAS sha ll record power, ene rgy, voltage , and curren t a t de fined in te rva ls, include irrad iance and tem pera tu re

RFP #2158 – Solar Canopy Page 10 of 20 v03.11.2026 sensors, and allow for both web and mobile access. The system shall integrate with the inve rte rs for pe rform ance tracking and rem ote d iagnostics and sha ll inclu de a ll necessary com m unica tion hard ware , software , and da ta se rvice for a m in im um five -year te rm .

E. Carport System Requirements

1. Layout and Clearances The solar carport system sha ll be designed to op tim ize ene rgy production while m ain ta in ing e fficien t veh icle circu la tion , sa fe access, and appropria te d rive a isle clearances.

West Carport Area:

The m in im um clearance he igh t sha ll be fourteen fee t (14') a t the lowest poin t. The carport dep th m ay be up to th irty-five fee t (35'), sub ject to fina l layou t and structu ra l de sign . The configura tion sha ll m axim ize gene ra tion while m ain ta in ing safe d rive a isle s and tu rn ing rad ii for DPW ope ra tions.

East Carport Area:

The base b id design sha ll p rovide a m in im um clearance he igh t of n ine fee t (9') a t the lowest poin t, with a carport dep th be tween twenty fee t (20') and twenty-th ree fee t (23'), sub ject to fina l enginee ring and layou t constra in ts .

Add Alternate – East Carport Increased Clearance:

As an add a lte rna te , p ropose rs sha ll p rovide p ricing for increasing the east carport m in im um clearance he igh t to fourteen fee t (14'), m ain ta in ing a dep th be tween twenty fee t (20') and twenty-th ree fee t (23').

All s tructu ra l layou ts sha ll be configured to m axim ize sola r gene ra tion , m in im ize shad ing, and m ain ta in safe veh icu lar circu la tion .

2. Stormwater and Snow Management The carport sha ll include in te r-m odule sea ls or flash ing as necessary to m in im ize d ripp ing be tween pane ls. The fina l approach to pane l sea ling sha ll be reviewed with the Town prior to construction .

3. Under -Canopy Lighting Under-canopy ligh ting sha ll be p rovided using ene rgy-e fficien t LED fixtu re s designed to m ain ta in illum ina tion leve ls consisten t with app licab le industry standards for sa fe ty and visib ility in parking a reas, includ ing com pliance with IES RP-8-21. Fixtu re s sha ll be connected to the existing site ligh ting circu its and con trols, sub ject to confirm ation by the Town. The ligh ting p lan , includ ing fixtu re specifica tions and photom etric docum enta tion , sha ll be subm itted with the fina l de sign package for review and approval.

4. Structural Materials and Coatings All structu ra l stee l sha ll be fabrica ted from ASTM A572 Grade 50 or equ iva len t and hot-d ip ga lvan ized in accordance with ASTM A123. Bolts , anchors, and fastene rs sha ll be sta in le ss stee l or ga lvan ized . Pa in ting or powder coa ting is not requ ired .

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5. Foundation s Foundations shall be designed by a licensed structural engineer in accordance with applicable building codes and industry standards, taking into account local snow, wind, and seismic conditions. Acceptable foundation types include driven piers, drilled c aissons, or helical piles, as appropriate to the geotechnical conditions. Following installation, the Contractor shall restore all disturbed pavement and surfaces to match existing conditions.

6. Equipment Mounting and Labeling Electrical and control equipment shall be mounted at appropriate heights to discourage tampering and protect from vehicle impact. Equipment located at ground level within parking areas shall be enclosed or fenced for protection. All equipment, conduits, an d enclosures shall be labeled in a clear, durable, and weather -resistant manner indicating function and hazard.

G. Installation and Construction

1. General Conditions The Awardee is responsible for establishing and maintaining all conditions necessary for safe, efficient, and high -quality execution of the Work. This includes adherence to the approved construction schedule, protection of existing facilities, maintenance of access routes, and compliance with environmental and safety regulations. The Awardee sha ll coordinate daily activities with the Town’s representatives to avoid unnecessary disruption to Site operations. The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, State of Connecticut, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, permitting requiremen ts, building and electrical codes, and all rules of Authorities Having Jurisdiction governing the performance of the Work.

2. Health and Safety Plan Prior to mobilization, the Awardee shall prepare a site -specific Health and Safety Plan for review by the Town . The plan shall meet all applicable OSHA standards and include emergency contact information, nearest hospital location, and project -specific safety procedures. Safety measures shall include but are not limited to the use of visible barriers, fall protect ion where applicable, personal protective equipment (hard hats, safety vests, eye protection, and footwear), and safe work practices for all on -site personnel. The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal and State of Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, including maintaining a site -specific Health and Safety Plan and ensuring that all work is conducted in a manner that protects workers, Town personnel, and the public.

3. Mobilization and Staging The Awardee shall prepare a staging and logistics plan identifying areas for equipment storage, material laydown, parking, and temporary facilities. The plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Town prior to mobilization. The Awardee shall attend all pre -constructio n meetings and walkthroughs. Materials shall be stored in a safe, organized, and weather -protected manner, and all deliveries shall be coordinated to minimize impact on Site operations.

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4. Site Security The Awardee shall maintain Site security throughout the duration of construction, ensuring that all materials, equipment, and completed Work are protected from theft, vandalism, and unauthorized access. The Awardee shall be responsible for any losses or damages resulting from inadequate security and shall promp tly replace or repair any affected materials or Work at no cost to the Town.

5. Mechanical Installation The Awardee shall install all structural and mechanical components of the carport system, including columns, beams, purlins, and solar module mounting ass emblies, in accordance with the approved stamped drawings and manufacturer specifications. All Work shall be performed using proper alignment, torqueing, and assembly techniques. Structural components shall be installed true to line and grade, ensuring tha t clearances and drainage slopes are maintained.

6. Electrical Installation The Awardee shall furnish and install a complete electrical system necessary for the operation of the solar array. This includes the installation of conduits, wiring, disconnect swit ches, switchgear, transformers, and metering equipment as shown on the approved drawings. Equipment locations shall be verified in the field with the Town prior to installation. All electrical Work shall be completed in accordance with current code require ments and the local utility’s interconnection standards.

7. Facility Shutdowns and Interconnection The Awardee shall coordinate all electrical shutdowns and tie -ins with the Town and the local utility. Work requiring service interruption shall be scheduled to minimize disruption and may occur outside of regular business hours. The Awardee shall ensure that all necessary materials and personnel are available before initiating any shutdown. Final testing and commissioning of the system shall be performed only af ter receiving authorization from the Town and utility representatives.

8. Site Cleanup and Waste Management The Awardee shall maintain a clean and orderly Site at all times. Waste materials and packaging shall be placed in designated containers and removed re gularly. Upon completion, all construction debris, equipment, temporary facilities, and unused materials shall be removed from the Site. The Work area shall be left in a clean, safe, and operable condition suitable for public use.

9. Site Repair and Restorati on Upon completion of construction, the Awardee shall restore all areas disturbed by its Work to their original condition or better. Restoration shall include repair or replacement of asphalt and concrete surfaces, regrading and reseeding of disturbed area s, restriping of parking stalls, and reinstallation of any signage or features removed during construction.

All restoration Work shall be completed to the satisfaction of the Town prior to final acceptance.

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10. Hazardous Materials To the Town’s knowledge, no hazardous materials are present in the areas where the Work will be performed. If the Contractor, its subcontractors, or any site personnel encounter, suspect, or disturb any material that may reasonably be considered hazardous —including but not limited to contaminated soils, asbestos -containing materials, lead -based paint, underground storage tanks, petroleum -impacted soils, or unidentified containers —the Contractor shall:

● Im m edia te ly stop work in the a ffected a rea ;

● Secure the a rea to p revent d istu rbance or exposure ;

● Notify the Town with in one (1) hour; and

● Take no fu rthe r action un til rece iving written d irection from the Town.

H. Commissioning and Close -Out

1. General Commissioning Requirements The Awardee sha ll be re sponsib le for a ll com m issioning and close -ou t activitie s necessary to ve rify tha t the system is fu lly ope ra tiona l, sa fe , and pe rform ing in accordance with the approved design . Com m ission ing sha ll include e lectrica l te sting, equ ipm ent ve rifica tion , da ta acqu isition se tup , and coord ina tion with the Town, the loca l u tility, and any designa ted Independen t Enginee r (IE) or th ird -party reviewer.

2. Utility and Incentive Close -Out The Awardee sha ll com ple te a ll s teps requ ired to ob ta in Utility Approval to Ene rgize and a fu lly execu ted in te rconnection agreem ent. Activities sha ll include coord ina tion with the u tility, scheduling, and participa tion in witness te sting, m ete r insta lla tion , inve rte r p rogram m in g, and subm ission of a ll requ ired docum enta tion and fee s.

The Awardee sha ll a lso com ple te a ll necessary actions for incen tive p rogram registra tion and close -ou t, includ ing up load ing docum enta tion , scheduling inspections, and subm itting p roduction m ete ring da ta as requ ired by the gove rn ing agencie s.

3. Electrical and Perform ance Testing Before fina l ene rgiza tion , the Awardee sha ll pe rform a se ries of system ve rifica tion te sts to confirm prope r insta lla tion and safe ope ra tion . Testing sha ll include :

● Insu la tion re sistance (m egge r) te sting of a ll AC and DC conductors.

● Continu ity and polarity ve rifica tion for DC strings and AC circu its .

● IV curve tracing or equ iva len t m e thod to confirm un iform string pe rform ance and iden tify any de fective m odule s or connections.

● Inve rte r functiona l te sting, includ ing ve rifica tion of com m unica tion with the DAS.

● System ene rgiza tion checks to confirm voltage , curren t, and ope ra tiona l param e te rs a re with in design tole rances.

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Performance shall be verified through DAS data to co nfirm expected system capacity and ope ra tion unde r typ ica l sola r cond itions. The te st re su lts sha ll dem onstra te tha t the system is ope ra ting safe ly and in line with its de sign in ten t.

4. Commissioning Report and Deliverables Upon com ple tion of com m ission ing, the Awardee sha ll p rovide a Com m ission ing Report to the Town and the Project Team sum m arizing a ll testing and ve rifica tion re su lts . The report sha ll include , a t a m in im um :

● Electrica l te sting resu lts (insu la tion re sistance , con tinu ity, IV curve da ta )

● Inve rte r sta rtup and ope ra tiona l ve rifica tion record s

● As-built d rawings and fina l de sign revisions

● Product da ta shee ts and equ ipm ent m anuals

● Copies of a ll warran tie s

● Access creden tia ls and configura tion de ta ils for the DAS

● Utility docum enta tion, includ ing the execu ted In te rconnection Agreem ent and

Approval to Ene rgize

● Confirm ation of incen tive p rogram close -ou t (if app licab le )

Table A - Minimum Product Warranty Information

Component Type Warranty Term Minimum

Module 20 years

Inve rte r 10 years

Racking 20 years

IX. SCOPE OF WORK - TOWN WORK

A. Work to Be Performed by the Town in Support of the Project The Town will pe rform specific activitie s in d irect support of the sola r carport insta lla tion to facilita te construction , reduce cost, and stream line pe rm itting. These activitie s a re outside the Contractor’s Work. The Awardee sha ll coord ina te a ll Town-pe rform ed work, p rovide necessary docum enta tion and layout in form ation , and give adequate notice p rior to the sta rt of each activity.

1. Planning, Zoning, and Permitting

All requ ired Town-adm in iste red reviews, approvals, and pe rm its will be p rocessed in te rna lly by the Town. The p roject is loca ted on Town-owned prope rty and will be adm in istra tive ly approved . The Town will waive a ll a ssocia ted pe rm it and inspection fee s.

The Awardee sha ll p rovide a ll necessary d rawings, ca lcu la tions, and docum enta tion to support these reviews and sha ll coope ra te fu lly with the Build ing and Enginee ring Departm ents to ensure tim e ly approval.

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2. Trenching for Conduit Routes

The Town will perform all trenching necessary for underground conduit installation based on the Contractor’s design d rawings. The Awardee shall clearly show conduit routes, depths, and trench sections on the approved electrical plans. The Town’s work will include excavation to the required depth and alignment as indicated by the Contractor’s layout staking. The Contracto r shall provide a representative on -site during trenching to ensure alignment, depth, and routing conform to design intent.

3. Backfilling and Compaction

Following conduit installation and inspection, the Town will complete all backfilling and compaction of t renches and excavations. The Contractor shall notify the Town when inspections are complete and provide confirmation that all conduits and utilities are ready for backfill.

4. Asphalt and Concrete Cutting and Repair

The Town will be responsible for all asphalt and concrete surface restoration associated with trenching, conduit installation, and foundation work. The Town’s repair work shall include saw -cutting, patching, and finishing to match existing pavement or conc rete. The Contractor shall coordinate the limits of disturbance with the Town prior to excavation to ensure proper restoration quantities and scope.

5. Tree Removal and Vegetation Clearing

The Town will perform all tree and vegetation removal required to acco mmodate the solar carport installation. The Contractor shall identify any trees or vegetation in conflict with the proposed system layout in its design submittal and coordinate with the Town to confirm the removal scope. The Town will remove and dispose of approved trees and debris prior to the start of foundation or canopy construction.

6. Parking Lot Re -Striping

The Town will repaint all parking stall markings and traffic control striping after the completion of carport construction and any associated paveme nt restoration. The Contractor shall provide an as -built layout showing column locations and any modified parking configurations to guide restriping.

7. Coordination Requirements

To ensure efficient scheduling and coordination, the Contractor shall:

● Provide the Town with a m in im um of ten (10) ca lendar days’ written notice p rior to the sta rt of any Town-pe rform ed activity.

● Stake ou t and m ark a ll re levan t work lim its , conduit pa ths, and foundation loca tions as needed to gu ide Town crews.

● Mainta in open com m unica tion with the Town’s designa ted p roject m anage r to sequence work e fficien tly and m in im ize d isrup tion to ongoing DPW ope ra tion s.

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The Contractor remains responsible for overall project coordination and for ensuring tha t Town-pe rform ed work is com ple ted in the p rope r sequence to support construction p rogre ss.

8. Site Repair and Restoration

Upon com ple tion of construction and Town-pe rform ed work, the Town will re store a ll d istu rbed areas with in and ad jacen t to the construction lim its . Restora tion activitie s will include fina l grad ing, topsoil p lacem ent, re seed ing of d istu rbed tu rf, and stab iliza tion of any areas a ffected by trench ing, tree rem oval, or construction access. The Contractor sha ll iden tify a ll a reas of d isturbance on as-bu ilt d rawings and coord ina te with the Town to confirm fina l re stora tion lim its p rior to dem obiliza tion .

X. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION

Bidde rs sha ll subm it a clear and com ple te Proposa l tha t follows th is RFP’s form at and re sponds to a ll requ ired e lem ents. Proposa ls m ust dem onstra te the Bidde r’s qua lifica tions, re levan t expe rience with com m ercia l sola r p rojects, and a clear unde rstand ing of the Work requ ired to design and construct the Project.

A. Format and Structure

Proposa ls m ust include fu ll and accura te in form ation consistent with th is RFP’s ob jective s and eva lua tion crite ria . While the requ ired sections be low are m andatory, Bidders m ay include concise supp lem enta l m ate ria ls tha t h igh ligh t the ir qua lifica tions or strengthen the ir subm ission .

B. Bidder Submission Form

Each Proposa l sha ll begin with the Proposa l Form in Exhib it B, which includes the In ten t to Bid Form , Excep tions & Devia tions Form , and Ce rtifica tion & Signature Form .

C. System Design and Equipment

Provide a site p lan and System layout iden tifying the p roposed system configura tion , equ ipm ent specifica tions, and design in ten t, includ ing p roposed loca tions for the new NRES m e te r, com bine r, and A/C d isconnect. Include m odule m ake /m ode l, wattage , and quan tity, inve rte rs, racking p roduct, system azim uth , tilt , and tota l system capacity in kW-DC and kW- AC. Exhib it C is a concep tua l de sign tha t has been p rovided to show Bidde rs the p roposed loca tion of the sola r carports , new PV equ ipm ent, and trench ing.

Include m anufactu re r da ta shee ts and warran ty sum m arie s for a ll m ajor equ ipm ent, includ ing m odule s, inve rte rs, racking, m onitoring, and ba lance -of-system com ponents. All equ ipm ent sha ll be new, UL-listed, and of p roven re liab ility. The p re lim inary rise r d iagram sha ll iden tify the p roposed in te rconnection m e thod and any requ ired upgrades to existing e lectrica l se rvice equ ipm ent.

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D. Energy Production Report

Provide an annual energy production report for the proposed system using recognized solar modeling softwar e such as PVSyst or HelioScope. Reports shall include estimated annual kWh - AC generation and list all modeling assumptions, including irradiance source, soiling, shading, availability losses, and system efficiency losses.

E. Project Scope and Schedule

Provide a detailed project scope and schedule outlining all major milestones from design through commissioning. The schedule shall include a Gantt chart that clearly shows design, permitting, utility coordination, procurement, mobilization, construction, testing, and commissioning activities, along with their respective durations and dependencies.

F. Bidder Qualifications

Provide a concise company overview highlighting experience with commercial or municipal solar projects of similar size and complexity. Identify key personnel, subcontractors, and vendors assigned to the Project, and list relevant licenses, certifications, and qualifications.

G. Project Portfolio and References

List at least three (3) comparable projects completed within the past three (3) years. For eac h project, provide the client's name, contact person, phone number, email address, project capacity, major system components, and completion dates.

H. Pricing

All price proposals shall be firm and final. Any attempt to increase pricing after selection may result in disqualification. Bidders shall complete Exhibit D – Proposal Pricing Sheet in full, providing a detailed cost proposal including:

● Tota l p roject cost in dolla rs pe r watt-d irect curren t ($/Wdc) and tota l dolla r va lue .

● Breakdown of m ajor cost com ponen ts (enginee ring, p rocurem ent, construction , com m ission ing).

● Any assum ptions or exclusions necessary to in te rpre t the p roposed p rice .

XI. PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND CRITERIA

The Town re se rves the righ t to re ject any or a ll Proposa ls, waive in form alitie s, or accep t the Proposa l deem ed m ost advan tageous to the Town.

Evalu a tion will conside r both techn ica l and cost factors, includ ing bu t not lim ited to:

● Com ple teness and com pliance with RFP requ irem ents

● Tota l p roject cost and va lue

● Proposed design qua lity and constructab ility

● Equipm ent qua lity and techn ica l specifica tions

● Schedule feasib ility and p roject approach

● Bidde r qua lifica tions and expe rience with sim ila r p rojects

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● Fam ilia rity with loca l pe rm itting, inspection , and u tility in te rconnection p rocesse s

● Refe rences and dem onstra ted pe rform ance on past p rojects

● Responsiveness to con tract and insurance requ irem ents

XII. ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL TERMS

A. Indemnification

To the fu lle st exten t pe rm itted by law, the Contractor sha ll de fend , indem nify, and hold harm less the Town of Vernon and its office rs, em ployees, and agen ts from and aga inst any and a ll cla im s, dam ages, losse s, and expenses a rising ou t of or re su lting from the pe rform ance of the Work, excep t to the exten t caused by the sole negligence or willfu l m isconduct of the Town.

B. Non -Circumvent

By subm itting a Proposa l, the Bidde r agrees tha t it sha ll not, d irectly or ind irectly, a ttem pt to solicit , negotia te , or en te r in to any agreem ent with the Town for the deve lopm ent, construction , financing, or insta lla tion of any sola r photovolta ic p roject a t the DPW, or re la ted m unicipa l p rope rtie s, ou tside of th is RFP process or a subsequen t Town-issued solicita tion .

Th is ob liga tion app lie s for a pe riod of twe lve (12) m onths from the issuance of th is RFP.

Any a ttem pt to circum vent the com pe titive p rocurem ent p rocess m ay re su lt in im m edia te d isqua lifica tion from th is RFP, rem oval from fu tu re solicita tions, and any othe r rem edies ava ilab le to the Town.

C. Public Records and Confidentiality

All Proposa ls becom e the p rope rty of the Town and are sub ject to d isclosure unde r the Connecticu t Freedom of In form ation Act (FOIA). Proprie ta ry or confiden tia l in form ation m ust be clearly labe led as such; howeve r, the Town cannot guaran tee p rotection beyond what is pe rm itted unde r law.

Bidde rs sha ll not d istribu te or d isclose any part of th is RFP or re la ted com m unica tions withou t p rior written consen t from the Town. All com m unica tions regard ing th is RFP m ust be d irected th rough the Town’s designa ted con tact pe rson .

D. Withdrawal or Modification of Proposals

Proposa ls m ay be m odified or withdrawn prior to the subm ission dead line by written notice to the Town. Proposa ls sha ll rem ain va lid for 90 days following the subm ission dead line un le ss extended by m utua l agreem ent.

E. Prevailing Wage and Labor Com pliance The work will be sub ject to Sta te Preva iling Wages and ce rtified payrolls m ust be p rovided to the owner’s repre senta tive . Profe ssiona l se rvice s re la ted to design deve lopm ent, supe rvision and adm in istra tion a re typ ica lly not included in these ca tegorie s. Ce rtified payrolls on the approved form s sha ll be requ ired p rior to each pay requ isition be ing approved for p rocessing.

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F. Contract Execution and Notice to Proceed

Within ten (10) business days of Notice of Award, the Awardee shall execute the contract and provide all required bonds and insurance certificates. Work shall commence upon issuance of the Notice to Proceed, at which time the project schedule becomes binding.

G. Warranty

The Awardee shall provide a two (2) year workmanship warranty from the date of System commissioning. During this period, the Contractor shall correct any defects in materials or workmanship at no cost to the Town. All manufacturer equipment warranties shall be assigned to the Town upon project completion.

H. Risk and Liability Provisions

The fi nal contract will allocate risk between the Town and the Awardee, defining responsibilities for schedule delays, equipment failure, safety incidents, and non -compliance.

The Contractor shall maintain required insurance and bonds to cover these risks and sh all remain responsible for the acts or omissions of all subcontractors under its control.

I. Equal Opportunity & Non -Discrimination

The Town is an Equal Opportunity Employer and firmly supports fair employment and contracting practices. It is the policy of th e Town that no person shall be discriminated against in any aspect of employment, subcontracting, or service delivery on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sex ual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal or state law.

XIII. RFP FEE AGREEMENT (CSW DEVELOPMENT FEE)

The Town has retained CSW LLC to provide development and administrative support for the Project.

The Awardee shall pay a fixed Development Fee of $35,000 directly to CSW Energy, LLC. This obligation will be formalized through the RFP Fee Agreement (Exhibit E), which shall be executed and submitted with the proposal. The Development Fee must be included within the Contractor’s lump -sum proposal and accounted for within the budget cap.

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XIV. RFP EXHIBITS

● Exhibit A: Availab le su rve ys, d rawings, and site photos

○ https://d rive .google .com /drive /folde rs/104k_vEwku R6fySddXT0SWGbMRkGvu nZz?us p=sharing

● Exhibit B: Bidde r Subm ission Form s

○ B.1 In ten t to Bid Form

○ B.2 Excep tions and Devia tions Form

○ B.3 Ce rtifica tion and Signa ture Form

● Exhibit C: Site Plan

● Exhibit D: Proposa l Pricin g Shee t

● Exhibit E: CSW Fee Agreem ent https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/104k_vEwkuR6fySddXT0SWGbMRkGvunZz?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/104k_vEwkuR6fySddXT0SWGbMRkGvunZz?usp=sharing