Preferred Residential Solar Installer

The City of Norwalk, located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, is conducting a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to select a preferred residential solar installer for the "Solarize Norwalk" community solar campaign. The primary objective is to complete 50 solar photovoltaic (PV) energy system installations by January 31, 2026, with the goal of reducing homeowner energy costs, increasing community resilience, and promoting solar technology adoption. Qualified installers must be capable of serving three distinct utility service territories in Norwalk and have completed a minimum of 25 successful solar PV installations in Connecticut within the past three years. The proposal evaluation will be based on four key criteria: qualifications and experience (25%), overall impression and hardware quality (25%), community benefits (10%), and cost proposal including total system cost and tiered discounting (40%). Critical dates include an RFI/question deadline of August 22, 2025 at 2:00 PM, an electronic submission deadline of September 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM, and a program timeline running from September 2025 through December 1st. The selected installer will be responsible for site assessments, system design, equipment procurement, installation services, marketing, customer service, and permitting.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were mentioned in the procurement documents. The City will coordinate outreach and educational components, while installers will manage direct interactions with homeowners, with all solar system agreements being established between installers and individual residents. Installers are required to provide competitive dollar-per-watt pricing with volume rebates based on total contracted capacity milestones. While no specific budget range was explicitly stated, the program aims to offer tiered pricing discounts to residents based on the number of homes participating in the solar initiative. No performance bonds or deposits are required, and there is no mandatory walkthrough for potential bidders. The procurement approach emphasizes creating a trusted partnership to make clean energy more accessible and cost-effective for Norwalk residents, with the city serving as a facilitator for broader solar technology adoption.