County of Cheshire Request for Proposals

Photovoltaic Solar Array

Cheshire County Red Barn Facility on River Rd Westmoreland

The County of Cheshire is requesting a detailed proposal from qualified contractors for a Photovoltaic Solar Array to be placed on the roof of the Red Barn Facility located on River Road in Westmoreland, NH.

Submissions and Timeline

1. RFP release date: November 18, 2024.
2. To receive RFP addendums, questions and answers, and any available additional documents to assist in preparing the proposals, please submit intent to apply notice by email containing name and email address to the grants manager sbansley@co.cheshire.nh.us. Intent to apply notice is not required to apply.
3. Questions and requests for site visits must be submitted in writing via email to Steve Horton, Owner’s Representative at stevnhorton@gmail.com and copied to the grants manager sbansley@co.cheshire.nh.us and submitted no later than 5:00pm on December 8, 2024. Responses will be made available to all bidders who submitted an intent to apply within 2 business days, by 05:00pm on December 10, 2024.
4. Project proposals are due by 2:00pm on December 16, 2024. Proposals must be sent via PDF attachment to an email sent to sbansley@co.cheshire.nh.us.
5. The estimated date for selection of contract awardee is January 15, 2024.
6. The estimated start date for contract is February 1, 2025.

Scope of Work and Technical Requirements

1. Item or service needed: design and installation of a solar array approximately 25kw to be installed on the rooftop of the Red Barn located on Cheshire County’s Maplewood Nursing Home property, at 201 River Rd., Westmoreland, N.H.
2. Project proposals must include ability to complete project by the deadline of December 31, 2025.
3. Project proposals must include statements confirming the following:
   1. The contractor will supply all equipment, materials, supplies, labor, and any other items or services necessary to complete the scope of work, including but not limited to inverters, panels, entrance, wiring, conduit, etc.
   2. The contractor’s assurances that the work will result in a high-quality product and meet the specifications listed under Scope of Work and Technical Requirements.
   3. Contractor will make preference for the purchase, acquisition, or use of goods, products, or materials produced in the United States as defined in 2 CFR §200.322 Domestic preferences for procurements.
   4. The contractor will complete and submit in a timely manner all documentation required by the County.
   5. The contractor has or will obtain at its own cost general liability coverage with a limit of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate; professional liability coverage with limits of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate; and worker’s compensation coverage meeting State of NH required limits and providing employer’s liability coverage. The successful bidder must submit at the time a contract is executed a current certificate of insurance from a company licensed to issue such insurance in the State of New Hampshire.
   6. The contractor is not debarred, suspended, or otherwise prohibited from receiving federal funds.
   7. The contractor is familiar with and will comply with the following federal rules, which are expressly applicable to this project (The complete terms and conditions are available upon request to bidding contractors and will be made part of the awarded and executed contract in the form of an attachment):
      1. Davis-Bacon Requirements, all laborers and mechanics employed by the contractor in the performance of the scope of work of this proposal In excess of $2000 shall be paid wages at a rate not less than those prevailing on similar projects in the locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code commonly referred to as the “Davis-Bacon Act”. The contractor provides written assurance acknowledging the Davis-Bacon requirements and their compliance, including but not limited to: submitting certified weekly payrolls; the County conducting payroll and job site reviews for construction work, including interviews with employees; cooperating with any authorized representative of the Department of Labor in the inspection of records, interviews with employees, and other actions undertaken as part of a Department of Labor investigation; Posting in a prominent and accessible place the wage determinations and Department of Labor Publication WH-1321, Notice to Employees Working on Federal or Federally Assisted Construction Projects; And preparing and submitting the office of Management and Budget Control number 1910-5165, Davis Bacon semiannual labor compliance report, by April first and October first of each year.
      2. Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products should be American-made.

• Environmental, Safety and Health Performance of Work.

1. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements.

Proposal Requirements

1. Company name and information
2. Approach, describe the following:
   1. The size of the total proposed array;
   2. Proposed locations;
   3. Proportional determination of array at locations;
   4. Products, materials, supplies to be used;
   5. Connection application and actual connection to the local power company/grid;
   6. Annual production expected;
   7. Return on investment equations;
   8. Permits required (local, state, other governmental permitting);
   9. All training necessary to guarantee proper maintenance and upkeep;
   10. Any other information to describe how your firm will approach this project and accomplish the scope of work.
3. Schedule/timeline: Indicate how long the project will take to complete and confirm that you are able to meet the project deadline. Provide a schedule with anticipated milestones from the execution of a contract through final completion of the project.
4. Organizational description: Provide a brief description of your business (e.g. mission, history, staffing, relevant experience). Indicate whether the organization is a qualified disadvantaged business (DBE), women-owned, veteran-owned, or minority-owned. Lack of relevant experience on the part of the bidder may be grounds for disqualification.
5. County responsibilities: Indicate what your expectations are for the County in order for your firm to ensure a successful project.
6. Warranties/guarantees: Describe warranties and/or guarantees offered for the work, materials, and/or services.
7. Price Proposal: Provide a price equal to or less than $77,630 and include a breakdown or basis for that price into:
   1. Labor (list positions with hourly rates paid to the employee, employer provided benefits, and separate billable rate, if different);
   2. Travel;
   3. Materials/supplies;
   4. Equipment (including shipping/delivery);
   5. Installation;
   6. Subcontracts (if any);
   7. Permits;
   8. Other costs, needed to complete the project according to the scope of services described above.
   9. Overhead (or indicate this is part of the billable rate);
   10. Profit (or indicate that this is part of the billable rate).
8. References: Provide a description and references for three (3) comparable projects your firm has undertaken over the past three (3) years. Reference information shall include names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, dates, and brief description of the work performed.
9. Example work/portfolio: Provide one or more examples of work similar to the scope of work in this RFP. Example work may be provided in the form of an attachment to the proposal or as a web link to the source.
10. Disclose/list all subcontractors that you intend to use on this project, their scope of work, and the amount that is included in the price proposal to cover their work.
11. Provide UEI/DUNS and EIN numbers registered to the applicant business.
12. Submit 1 electronic file of the proposal in a single PDF file; all fonts shall be Times New Roman or Ariel, 12-point font, and in sentenced case.

Eligibility Requirements and Selection Criteria

Before making its award or issuing a contract, the County shall consider the project proposal, work, and/or services or products delivered that best serves the needs and financial interests of the County. The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to award any proposal, to waive as an informality any irregularities on proposals received, and to omit any item or items as it may deem to be in the best interest of the County. The decision of the County shall be final and not subject to review or appeal. Contractors whose offer meets the minimum requirements specified below will be evaluated and selected on the basis of the lowest price. Preference shall be extended to firms that are known minority businesses, veteran-owned, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms.

Eligibility

1. Firm is registered with Sam.gov, has a verifiable UEI number and an unexpired registration date.
2. Firm and any key employees to work on the project are not debarred, suspended, or otherwise restricted from receiving federal funds.
3. Firm is registered as a licensed business.
4. Firm has the requisite certifications, licenses, degrees, diplomas, etc. required to legally and ethically perform the work.

Selection Criteria

1. Firm is able to meet deadline or delivery date.
2. Firm has at least three years of experience in a relevant field.
3. Employees to work on the project have relevant and adequate education and training, and knowledge, skills and ability to perform the work and complete the project.
4. Firm has capacity to perform the services.
5. Firm and employees to work on the project have excellent character, reputation, and judgment.
6. Approach to the project is logical, reasonable, appropriate, and thorough.
7. The firm’s expectations of the County are reasonable and manageable.
8. Proposal addresses and/or acknowledges all aspects of the scope of work and technical requirements.
9. Proposal contains all content required.

Award

1. Approval and award of a contract is contingent upon the continued availability of funding to accomplish the project.
2. This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, State and Community Energy Programs, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) as part of an award totaling $77,630 with 0% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents of this Request for Proposals are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the grantor, its parent agency, or the U.S. Government.
3. Type of contract: cost and materials, not to exceed $77,630.

Privacy, Confidentiality, and Publicity

Information provided through the application process is the responsibility of each applicant. Applicants agree not to hold Cheshire County, NH, its affiliates, members, partners, and staff liable for any losses, damages, costs, or expenses of any kind relating to the use or the adequacy, accuracy, or completeness of any information appearing in an application.

Depending on the individual circumstances of this NOFO and applications, any or all parts of this process and corresponding submissions may be considered public information. Any confidential information, including trade secrets, shall be redacted or removed by the applicant prior to submission.

If awarded, be advised that the business/applicant’s application information, name, statements, and other information provided during the award process may be used for promotional purposes in all forms and media and the business/applicant may be contacted by Cheshire County, NH for such purposes. Until notified, applicants must agree not to share any status as a finalist publicly, including but not limited to all social media platforms, news media, or local publications.

Conflict of Interest

Any employee, officer, or agent of Cheshire County participating in the selection, award, or administration of funds must disclose to the Board in writing if they have a real or apparent conflict of interest regarding any applying entities. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of their immediate family, their partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from an entity considered for funding. The officers, employees, and agents of Cheshire County may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from fund recipients. Cheshire County employees, officers, or agents with a conflict of interest must disclose the conflict in writing to the Board, recuse themselves of any vote pertaining to the contract, and dismiss themselves from any conversation(s) relating to a contract or its terms or conditions.