27DPW097B On-Call Solar Maintenance

The Town of Needham Department of Public Works is requesting bids on on-call solar maintenance services for municipal solar panel arrays under IFB 27DPW097B, with bids due September 10, 2026 at 1:00 p.m., and a pre-bid conference on August 27 at 10:30 a.m. at Sunita Williams School.

Year one covers preventative maintenance and emergency repair of the solar array at Sunita Williams School (585 Central Avenue, Needham, MA 02494); year two will add maintenance for a solar array at the Jack Cogswell Building upon construction completion. The contractor must respond to emergency calls within four hours, immediate-response calls within 48 hours, and scheduled work requests within 48 hours, with completion within two weeks. Normal work hours are 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Bidders must demonstrate three continuous years in business, provide five project references, and hold OSHA certification. The Town requires compliance with Massachusetts prevailing wage requirements under M.G.L. Chapter 149.

Pricing must include spring and fall inspection rates at each location, hourly on-call rates (weekday day, evening/weekend, and Sunday/holiday), materials markup percentages, and crane services. No price adjustments or fuel surcharges are permitted. A 5 percent bid deposit is required. Payment bonds equal to 50 percent of contract value are required for contracts exceeding $25,000; performance bonds equal to 100 percent are required for contracts exceeding $150,000.

The initial contract term runs from execution through August 31, 2027, with two optional one-year renewals through August 31, 2029. Contract award is anticipated for September 2026. Written questions are due September 3, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Bids are submitted to the Public Services Administration Building at 500 Dedham Avenue, Needham, MA 02492. The IFB is available at 500 Dedham Avenue and online at https://www.needhamma.gov/bids.aspx.