Municipal Service Center Microgrid and Backup Power

The City of Thousand Oaks is procuring comprehensive services for a Municipal Service Center Microgrid and Backup Power project located in Ventura County, California. The project involves integrating an existing 283 kW-AC solar photovoltaic system with a new battery energy storage system (BESS) of at least 500 kWh capacity and a new 120 kW natural gas generator. The successful contractor will be responsible for procurement and construction of the generator and switchboard, and design and engineering of the BESS, meters, data acquisition systems, electrical infrastructure, controls hardware and software, and monitoring software. Key project objectives include enabling off-grid autonomous facility operation, implementing utility energy arbitrage, and reducing peak demand. Proposers must possess a Class A license, Class C-10 license, and have a California-licensed Professional Engineer in Electrical Engineering. Evaluation criteria will include project understanding, key personnel qualifications, subcontractor qualifications, past experiences, creativity, schedule reasonableness, cost, and client references. A mandatory pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for August 6, 2025, with proposal submissions due by September 3, 2025. The project is planned in two phases, with Phase 1 (generator construction and microgrid design) to be completed by June 30, 2026, and Phase 2 (microgrid construction) to be completed by August 31, 2027.

The procurement appears to be open to qualified contractors without specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The project will integrate existing infrastructure at the Municipal Service Center, including an existing solar photovoltaic system and site electrical systems. The project is partially funded by a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant and is eligible for clean energy tax benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act's Direct Pay/Elective Pay provision. Contractors must comply with FEMA grant requirements, including the Build America, Buy America Act, and prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. While a specific award value is not explicitly stated, the project involves substantial infrastructure improvements with comprehensive design and construction services. The existing electrical infrastructure includes a Time-of-Use (TOU) rate plan with monthly electricity usage ranging from 3,000 to 14,000 kilowatt-hours and monthly charges between $2,900 and $6,100. Proposers should note that the City will own all components of the generator and microgrid, with a separate agreement to cover the one-year Operations and Maintenance (O&M) period.