Photovoltaic (PV) Systems Maintenance

The City of Rochester, New York, Bureau of Purchasing is requesting bids for photovoltaic systems maintenance and repair services under Invitation to Bid No. 524650, with sealed bids due August 12, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. and a pre-bid meeting on August 3, 2026 at 11:30 a.m. The City offers a five percent price advantage to MWBE-certified businesses in determining lowest best value.

The scope covers preventative maintenance, servicing, and repair of two operational solar installations in Rochester: the Arnett Library (187 Suncase MX 60 235-watt panels, 43.9 kW total capacity with six SMA SB7000 inverters) and the Public Market (66 235-watt panels, 16 kW total capacity with three SMA SB7000 inverters). Routine field maintenance includes annual inspections, module cleaning, visual checks for defects, wiring verification, voltage and current testing, and inverter examination. As-needed corrective and reactive maintenance requires a 12-hour response time; emergency work requires a two-hour response time.

The contractor must hold NEC certification, be authorized to work on SMA equipment, and employ licensed electricians proficient with Sunny Portal website features. Pricing consists of a fixed annual base fee for the full-service maintenance agreement, constant throughout the contract term unless equipment is added or deleted. Separate hourly rates for electrician and laborer classifications apply to work outside the agreement scope, remaining constant unless New York State Department of Labor wage rates change. Materials and parts outside standard maintenance are billed at contractor's cost plus a maximum 10 percent markup, subject to pre-approved estimates exceeding $300. The City reserves the right to audit invoices for two years post-payment and to request manufacturer price lists for verification.

The contract term is one year with options to extend for up to three additional years. A New York State Contractor Certificate of Registration is required with all bids. Insurance requirements include workers' compensation, comprehensive general liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), commercial automobile liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and umbrella excess liability ($2,000,000).