Design-Build Services for Solar and Energy Storage Installations at Category 1 City-Owned Properties

The City of Pasadena, through Pasadena Water and Power, is requesting proposals for design-build services to deliver solar and energy storage installations at thirteen Category 1 city-owned properties totaling an estimated 2.6 megawatts of capacity, with proposals due September 30, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. and a question submission deadline of September 3, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

The scope encompasses site evaluation and feasibility assessment, engineering and design, permitting, equipment procurement, construction, installation, interconnection, commissioning, and five years of operations and maintenance. Solar installations are desired at all sites; energy storage is highly desired where technically and financially feasible. The contractor must evaluate existing electrical infrastructure and account for future EV charging expansion in design approaches, including load assumptions affecting equipment sizing and panel capacity. Category 1 sites targeted for near-term implementation include the Glenarm Power Plant, Hamilton Park, Jackie Robinson Community Center, Lamanda Park Branch Library, Central Library, La Pintoresca Branch Library, Linda Vista Branch Library, and Robinson Park and Recreation Center, among others. Individual system capacities range from 22 kilowatts to 606 kilowatts.

Proposers may submit proposals for individual sites or any combination thereof and will be evaluated only on sites included in their submissions. The City reserves the right to award one contract, multiple contracts by individual site, by site combination, or in whole, as it determines to be in its best interest.

Respondents must hold a California Class A (General Engineering Contractor) or Class B (General Building Contractor) license, or a Class C-10 Electrical license where sufficient for the full scope at particular sites; lead architects and engineers must hold active California licensure. Proposers must demonstrate financial capacity through three years of financial statements and confirm surety availability. Performance and payment bonds are required before construction begins.

The contract is subject to the City's prevailing wage requirements, Living Wage Ordinance (for contracts exceeding $25,000), Equal Employment Opportunity requirements, Construction and Demolition Waste Management Ordinance (requiring 75% waste diversion), and accessibility compliance including ADA and California Building Code standards. Commercial General Liability insurance must be $5 million per occurrence; Automobile Liability, $5 million per accident; Professional Liability, $2 million per occurrence; and Contractors' Pollution Legal Liability, $1 million per occurrence. Builder's Risk insurance must equal completed project value. All insurers must maintain an A.M. Best rating of A:VII or higher and be authorized in California.

Liquidated damages are assessed as (Estimated Site Capacity in kW × 24 hours × 21% × $0.08/kWh) + $100 per day of delay beyond the required completion date. The project targets completion by June 30, 2028. The technical proposal is limited to 100 pages in 12-point font on standard 8" × 11" pages; proposals must be submitted electronically through the City's eProcurement Portal. Price proposals must include pricing by individual site with clearly identified assumptions, exclusions, and qualifications.

Proposers must complete mandatory federal certifications, conflict-of-interest disclosures, disqualification disclosures under California Public Contract Code Section 10162, non-collusion declarations, relevant experience forms documenting five comparable projects, designated representatives and key personnel forms, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov, Taxpayer Protection Amendment Disclosure forms, and Vendor Questionnaires. Federal Buy America (BABA) compliance is required for all equipment, iron, steel, and manufactured products.