RFP for Town of Enfield Solar Project
December 18, 2024
PRC# 2024015494
Introduction
The Town of Enfield (the “Town”) will update its existing Town Hall facility by installing a solar array on municipal property, using funds granted by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (“NYSERDA”) Clean Energy Communities (“CEC”) Program. The Town is seeking to reduce energy usage and costs through the installation of a solar array.
Scope of Work
The Town is requesting proposals from qualified contractors to design and install a solar array with a minimum capacity of 24kW on Town property located at 168 Enfield Main Road. System design and location are bidder’s responsibility, and the roof mounted solar array shall be designed to support energy use in municipal buildings. Proposals must be in adherence with these bid documents.
Project Specifications
• The total cost of the project’s base bid, including the solar array and its components, shall not exceed $65,000, after grant incentives.
• System must utilize remote net metering.
• The Contractor shall strictly follow all public works and prevailing wage rules and shall abide by the PRC number and its stated requirements for this project.
• The Contractor specifically agrees to follow the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Law and all requirements of Article 15 of the Executive Law relating to discrimination in employment.
• This bid is not and shall not be subject to New York State Sales Tax or local sales taxes.
Project schedule
February 10, 2025: Deadline for submission of bids/proposals
Proposed deadline for Notice of Award 30 days after submission deadline
Proposed deadline for signed project contract 30 days after Notice of Award
Proposed deadline for project completion 30 days after project contract signed
Proposal Submittal deadline and process
Interested and qualified contractors must submit a proposal no later than 5pm EST February 10, 2025. Proposals shall be mailed to Mary Cornell, Town Clerk, at Town Clerk’s Office at 168 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca, NY 14850.
It is the responsibility of each bidder before submitting a bid: (i) to examine thoroughly the NYSERDA and related requirements and documents; (ii) to visit the site to become familiar with and satisfy bidder as to the general, local and site conditions that may affect cost, progress, performance or furnishing of the work and services; (iii) to consider federal, state and local laws and regulations that may affect cost, progress, performance or furnishing of the work and services; (iv) to study and carefully correlate bidder’s knowledge and observations with the bid as submitted; and (v) to promptly notify the Town of all conflicts, errors, ambiguities or discrepancies which bidder has discovered within any bid notices, documents, or requirements.
On request, the Town will provide each bidder access to the site to conduct such examinations, investigations, explorations, tests, and studies as each bidder deems necessary for submission of a bid. bidder must clean-up and restore the site to its former condition upon completion of such explorations, investigations, tests and studies. No destructive testing is allowed. If there is a bid or price condition or variable required as based upon the inability to perform destructive testing or disassembly, then such shall be clearly stated and labelled as such in each submitted bid.
All questions about the meaning or intent of the bid requirements and documents are to be directed to the Town Supervisor, and any interpretations or clarifications considered necessary in response to such questions will be issued by bid addenda and delivered to all parties having received bid documents. Questions received less than two days prior to the date for scheduled bid opening may not be answered. Only questions answered by formal written addenda will be binding, and oral and other interpretations or clarifications, including at site visits, will be without legal effect. Addenda may also be issued to modify the bid documents, requirements, or timelines, as determined by the Town.
Bids may be modified or withdrawn by an appropriate document duly executed and delivered to the place where bids are to be submitted at any time prior to the opening of bids. If, within twenty-four hours after bids are opened, any bidder files a duly signed, written notice with the Town and promptly thereafter demonstrates to the reasonable satisfaction of the Town that there was a material and substantial mistake in the preparation of its bid, that bidder may be permitted to withdraw its bid, but thereafter, that bidder will be disqualified from further bidding on this project and any future bidding for the same.
Site visits:
Site visits are available with prior notice
If you are planning to make a site visit, contact Town Supervisor Stephanie Redmond at supervisor@townofenfield.org in advance of making the visit.
Proposal and bid requirements
Each proposal or bid shall (1) specify the correct gross or lump sum, and (2) the unit prices for each of the separate items. In case the amounts shown in words and the equivalents in figures do not agree, the written words shall be considered binding. Bidder’s acknowledge that there may be Town employees and other contractors on site, and that part of the project is to coordinate access and project sequencing. Bidders are encouraged to visit the work site. Bidder also agrees to furnish, with each bid, copies of all licenses and permits allowing it to provide the work services bid upon. In order to be considered, proposals must include the following:
• Company information, including the primary contact person, and list of key team members and personnel, including qualifications of each
• Specification of proposed size, location, required components, and layout
• An itemized budget for the project and a total project cost
• Estimated annual output in kWh, estimated CO2 emissions savings of the project, and estimated payback period for the project not exceeding 20 years
• A signed statement agreeing to the NYSERDA requirements and proof of qualification as an NY Sun contractor
• Proposals may not exceed 10 pages in total length.
The contract is subject to competitive bidding under General Municipal Law § 103 on the basis of lowest responsible bidder standards, specifically including compliance with project bidding requirements and based upon the selection of the base bid plus any one or more of the approved or selected options. Per NYSERDA specifications and requirements, the overall savings and total production of each site or proposal are proper bid review and bid award considerations.
In submitting a bid, the bidder automatically warrants and represents that:
• Bidder has examined copies of all the NYSERDA and bid information and documents, and all official addenda issued by the Town.
• Bidder has familiarized itself with the nature and extent of the project and work site, its locality, and all local conditions and laws and regulations that in any manner may affect cost, progress, performance or furnishing of the work and services.
• Bidder has obtained and carefully studied (or assumes responsibility for obtaining and carefully studying) all such examinations, investigations, explorations, tests and studies which pertain to the site or otherwise may affect the cost, progress, performance or furnishing of the work and services as bidder considers necessary for verification of the bid price.
• Bidder has correlated the results of all such observations, examinations, investigations, explorations, tests, reports and studies with the terms and conditions of the bid, and the bidder has given the Town written notice of all conflicts, errors or discrepancies that it has discovered in the bid documents, and any written resolution thereof issued by Town is acceptable to bidder.
• The bid is genuine and not made in the interest of or on behalf of any undisclosed person, firm or corporation and is not submitted in conformity with any agreement or rules of any group, association, organization or corporation; bidder has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other bidder to submit a false or sham bid; bidder has not solicited or induced any person, firm or corporation to refrain from bidding; and bidder has not sought by collusion to obtain for itself any advantage over any other bidder or over the Town.
Insurance
The selected bidder(s) shall be required to list the Town of Enfield as an additional insured. Minimum required insurance coverage includes:
A. Commercial general liability insurance in limit not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence, $1,000,000 per occurrence for personal injury liability, $2,000,000 general aggregate (applied per job) and $2,000,000 products and completed operations aggregate written for a period of three years beyond final payment. Commercial general liability insurance shall also include broad form property damage liability and broad form contractual liability.
B. Minimum additional $1,000,000 umbrella for excess liability coverage with terms and conditions that are at least as broad as the underlying liability policies and for concurrent terms with the underlying commercial general liability insurance.
C. Professional liability insurance covering errors and omissions, $1,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate limit.
D. Commercial automobile liability with a combined single limit of $1,000,000 with a hired and non-owned endorsement. Personal automobile liability coverage will be acceptable in lieu of commercial automobile coverage only if the vehicle used at the job site is not commercially insured. Limits for personal auto must be at least $1,000,000 property damage per accident with an endorsement that the policy covers business related use with an additional $1,000,000 personal umbrella policy.
E. Worker’s Compensation coverage as required by New York State Workers’ Compensation Law §57 or proof of respondent not being required to secure same.
F. Disability Benefits Insurance if/as required by New York State Workers’ Compensation Law §220, or proof of respondent not being required to secure same.
General and reserved rights of the Town
The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids or proposals received in response to this RFP, and to withdraw the RFP at any time, at the agency’s sole discretion and including for mere convenience. No bid or bid award is binding upon the Town until a contract is approved and executed by the Town, and any inability or substantial delay in approving or executing a contract will result in disqualification of such Bidder and allowing the Town to proceed with negotiations with the next qualified bidder with the next lowest price relative to the base bid and selected Options. The Town may seek clarifications of any bid and require updated proposals from any or all bidders, including upon issuance of any addenda or in the event of any needed project update or clarification. The Town may use information obtained through proposals, site visits, management interviews, and NYSERDA’s investigation of a bidder’s qualifications, experience, ability, or financial standing, and any material or information submitted by the bidder in response to the agency’s request for clarifying information, in the course of evaluating and issuing any notice of award under this RFP. The Town also reserves the right to extend the dates of performance after the issuance of a notice of award for just cause, to negotiate change orders and extras, and to eliminate non-material specifications when doing so is in the best interests of the Town and does not otherwise materially violate applicable laws.
Evaluation Criteria
Bids will be opened and read aloud publicly at the place where bids are to be submitted. An abstract of the amounts of the base bids and Options will be made available to all bidders after the opening of bids. All bids that the Town believes to have a reasonable chance of receiving the award will remain subject to acceptance for 60 days after the day of the bid opening and the Town may, in its sole discretion, release any other bid prior to that date.
In evaluating bids, The Town will consider the qualifications of bidders, bid compliance, and the price submitted with or without any one or more selected project Options. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids, including without limitation the rights to reject any or all nonconforming, non-responsive, or conditional bids, and further including the rights to disregard any non-material non-conformity or error. The Town reserves the right to waive all informalities not involving price, time, or changes in the project.
Proposals will be also evaluated by the Town Board of Enfield based on the size, efficacy, location, and overall design and utility of the system.