Department of Public Works Solar Photovoltaic Carport Project

The Town of Vernon, Connecticut Department of Public Works is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified solar Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractors for the design, engineering, procurement, installation, and commissioning of a front-of-meter solar photovoltaic carport system at the DPW facility located at 383 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, Connecticut. The project scope includes a 200-250 kW-DC system (capped at 200 kW-AC under the Connecticut Non-Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Buy-All/Sell-All Tariff program with Eversource as the utility provider) and encompasses all design, permitting, utility coordination, procurement, mobilization, construction, testing, and commissioning activities. Bidders must submit two sealed copies of their proposals to John W. Kleinhans, Town Administrator, Memorial Building, 14 Park Place, 3rd Floor, Vernon, Connecticut 06066 no later than April 16, 2026 at 1:00 PM, with proposals to be publicly opened and read aloud at that time. Attendance at a mandatory pre-bid conference and walk-through on March 25, 2026 at 10:00 AM at the DPW facility is required for all bidders; proposals from any parties or firms failing to attend will be disqualified without further consideration. Bidder inquiries must be submitted via email to Dwight Ryniewicz, Director of Public Works, at dryniewicz@vernon-ct.gov no later than April 1, 2026 at 3:30 PM, with answers posted by April 8, 2026. The contractor must provide a certified check or bid bond equal to five percent of the bid amount, with pricing submitted as a firm, fixed lump-sum proposal including detailed cost breakdowns by major components (engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning) and expressed in dollars per watt-direct current. The Town of Vernon will retain ownership of the completed system under a turnkey EPC delivery model, with contract execution required within ten business days of the Notice of Award and proposals remaining valid for 90 days following submission.

The Town of Vernon encourages participation from Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), and Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), though no specific set-asides are designated for these groups. Selected contractors must comply with all municipal, state, and federal affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunity practices. CSW Energy is supporting the Town as part of the project team, and the selected bidder must execute a non-negotiable CSW Fee Agreement requiring payment of a fixed $35,000 development fee to CSW Energy, LLC, payable in three milestone-based installments: 10 percent within ten days of execution of the Option Agreement, 40 percent within ten days of project commencement of construction, and 50 percent within ten days of receiving Permission to Operate from Eversource. Prevailing wage requirements apply to the project, with certified payrolls required prior to payment requisitions. The total project budget is $900,000, consisting of a maximum EPC contract value of $865,000 (which must include the fixed $35,000 CSW development fee) and excludes Connecticut sales tax per CGS 12-412(a). The Town will waive all associated permit and inspection fees, and certain construction support activities including trenching, backfilling, asphalt and concrete cutting and repair, tree and vegetation removal, and parking lot re-striping will be performed by the Town. The contractor assumes responsibility for all utility interconnection application fees and for obtaining Approval to Energize from Eversource, with any required system upgrades treated as pass-through costs subject to prior written approval.