Solar Modules

The City of Madison, Wisconsin, through its Engineering Department, issued Request for Quotation (RFQ) 5006-0-2021-AM seeking solar modules with a total capacity of 175 kilowatts. The procurement requires modules from one of five pre-approved manufacturers: Canadian Solar, Hanwha Q Cells, Heliene, REC, or Trina Solar, with specific technical specifications including monocrystalline or polycrystalline configuration, 72 or 144 cells, minimum 18% efficiency, and MC4 connectors. Individual modules must have a power rating between 370 and 380 watts, and bidders must quote modules of the same make and model. Delivery is mandated to 200 North First Street in Madison, with a phased delivery schedule requiring at least 20% of the order per delivery, 40% delivered by March 31, 2021, and the complete order by May 31, 2021. The City will evaluate bids based on multiple criteria including cost, quality, warranty, delivery capability, past performance, and service reputation. Manufacturers must provide a 25-year linear power output warranty guaranteeing 97% of nominal power in the first year with linear degradation, maintaining at least 80% by year 25, and a 10-year product materials and workmanship warranty. The RFQ was released on February 15, 2021, with a submission deadline of March 1, 2021, at 2:00 PM Central Standard Time.

The solicitation offers a local vendor preference scoring advantage to registered local suppliers, potentially providing additional opportunities for Madison-based businesses. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned, the procurement appears open to multiple vendors. The winning bid was submitted by Eric Corl for Canadian Solar CS3 375W modules at $84,747.05, though other bidders included Speed Solar Inc., Viking Electric, Philadelphia Solar, Beacon Building Products, CED Greentech, and Baitco LLC with pricing ranging from $66,706.20 to $114,932.91. The City reserved the right to award the contract to the most responsive and responsible bidder, with technical compliance taking precedence over lowest price, as evidenced by the rejection of the lowest-priced bidder for failing to meet technical specifications. Quotations were required to remain valid for 90 days following the bid due date, and all submitted prices were to include shipping charges, with delivery terms specified as FOB Madison.