Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Request for Proposals (RFP): Moon Island Engineering Design Consultant RFP FY2017-BFD-01 Release Date: May 8 th, 2017 Applications Due: June 23 rd, 2017 1. PROGRAM SUMMARY The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center ( MassCEC ) is requesting proposals from qualified consultants or firms for an engineering design study to provide a solar photovoltaic ( PV ) plus energy storage ( Storage, and together, Solar Plus Storage ) system design for a Solar Plus Storage system, or if Solar Plus Storage is not feasible, a Storage only system at the Boston Fire Department ( BFD ) training facility on Moon Island. Moon Island is a vehicle-accessible Boston Harbor Island and is the location of both the BFD and the Boston Police Department facilities. The Solar Plus Storage or Storage only system will primarily be used to demonstrate, inform, and perhaps support the development of storage fire safety codes, standards, and training (CST) for adoption by municipal authorities having jurisdiction and other pertinent storage industry stakeholders, and will secondarily be used to provide energy resilience benefits to the BFD training facility. 2. BACKGROUND AND DESIGN GOALS In 2015, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a $10 million dollar Energy Storage Initiative ( ESI ). As part of ESI, MassCEC and the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) released an Energy Storage Study ( State of Charge ), a comprehensive report to obtain a broad view of energy storage technologies that will inform future policy and programs. State of Charge provided insights into Massachusetts-specific and regional contexts to advance energy storage interests in the Commonwealth based on analysis of grid conditions in Massachusetts and lessons from other states. Stakeholder feedback in State of Charge (Section 3.2.16, page 74) suggested that developing energy storage safety codes, standards, and regulations are an industry priority to ensure a robust market and to facilitate smooth deployment of energy storage. MassCEC and the BFD are interested in exploring avenues to demonstrate and support the development of storage CSTs through the design and implementation of a commercial-scale Solar Plus Storage system or Storage only system at the BFD training facility on Moon Island (Figure 1), which is located in Quincy, Massachusetts and is vehicle-accessible via a causeway. Moon Island serves as a training location for the 1
BFD and the corresponding agencies for 14 other towns and cities. Secondarily, the system will be used to provide energy resilience to the BFD training facility. BFD training facility Figure 1. Aerial view of Moon Island The selected consultant or firm (the Consultant or Firm ) will be required to produce a preliminary design and specification report that will be used as the basis for soliciting proposals for the installation of a Solar Plus Storage, or if Solar Plus Storage is not feasible, a Storage only system. The design report will be required to include all necessary specifications for the installation of the Solar Plus Storage or Storage only system, including the recommended PV panels, the energy storage system and its components, and all associated balance of system equipment (e.g. inverters, racking, foundations, etc.) as well as all design and engineering parameters, specifications, drawings, recommended warranties, and documentation to support the construction, operation, and maintenance of the completed project. In particular, the specification should include the latest (state, national, and international) codes and standards with which the system must comply. This project, the first of its kind in the Commonwealth, will serve as an opportunity for a variety of stakeholders, including fire personnel, inspection services personnel, and MassCEC, to learn about these issues in the context of a continuously changing market. SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS The selected Consultant or Firm must provide an engineering design for a live Solar Plus Storage or Storage only system which can be used primarily to provide code compliance and energy storage safety training, and secondarily to enhance the energy security and independence of the BFD s facilities on 2
Moon Island. The system should be designed to accommodate the BFD s training facility load, which is connected to Eversource meters. The system must include additional prop pieces, such as an inverter and modules, for training purposes to allow code officials and emergency responders to examine and train on the components of a physical solar plus storage or storage only system. Further, the Consultant or Firm shall incorporate into system design the number of hours and schedule around which the BFD expects to use the system for training. This data should be included in consideration of system economics. The Consultant or Firm shall also consider the BFD s potential electric load increase in the next few years as the facility is increasingly utilized, and incorporate this into the system capacity. Additionally, the system must be designed to include options with and without net-metering, and include any relevant interconnection costs. Note that a net-metered system would possibly require that interconnection be approved by Eversource and/or National Grid, as any excess generation would be exported to National Grid service territory in Quincy. When the system is not being used for training purposes, the system should be designed to provide significant value to the BFD by providing a portfolio of energy storage benefits, such as resilience, ability to island, peak demand shaving, and more. Based on the training facility s location, siting and permitting will need to be processed through the City of Quincy. Monthly demand data for the BFD training facility is available as Attachment C. The selected Consultant or Firm must build into their timeline and budget the required resources to account for a 1-2 month interval metering study to examine load profiling at the BFD training facility in order to appropriately size the proposed system, and the required equipment (e.g. CT clamps). The BFD training facility is heated primarily with oil and baseboard heating. There is no natural gas distribution infrastructure on Moon Island. As part of the engineering design proposal, the Applicant will be asked to provide an estimate of optimal system capacity for the purposes described above. The Consultant or Firm must include ownership option scenarios (including lease-to-own) for the Solar Plus Storage or Storage only system. These options should also include a range of maintenance contract options. Ownership options must consider that the Solar Plus Storage or Storage only system may be turned on and off as part of prearranged training exercises. The energy storage technology must be UL-listed or certified by another nationally recognized testing lab at the system component level and meet all appropriate and applicable codes and certifications at the whole system level, as well as list and describe any optional or supplemental codes pursued. Projects must comply with most current codes and standards at time of project commissioning; anticipated codes include the 2018 IFC, 2017 NEC, 2018 NFPA 1, and the new UL 9540 standards 1, as well as the NFPA 855, when it is published. Finally, the design should include a schematic design guide, pre-plan documentation, and any related markings and signage for the containment area to the Solar Plus Storage or Storage only system to denote each major component, and to identify hazards related to its operation (for operation and training purposes). This may come in the form of a Safety Data Sheet. Additionally, the selected Consultant or Firm will work with the BFD and MassCEC to identify system specific information for use in 1 Review all relevant Codes, Standards, and Regulations (CSR) and Inventory of Safety-related Codes and Standards for Energy Storage Systems. 3
education and training guidance for the fire service. This may include system components, operations, shut down methods, alternative shut down methods, post incident operations, and other topics to be identified. In addition, the above documentation should contain information for the props that will be key pieces of the system relevant to the training effort. BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS The BFD training facility, where the Solar Plus Storage or Storage only system will be located, has two flat level roofs as potential design space, in addition to other potential spaces. The first floor roof is 3,264 square feet (51 x 64 feet), originally built with pre-cast concrete planks over steel columns. The second floor roof is 1,262 square feet (51 x 24.75) and built up with a gravel surface. There are also two drains in the roofs and three rooftop air conditioners. A recent feasibility study for solar hot water was completed for the BFD training facility. This system will likely be placed on the north roof of the training facility, leaving the south side of the roof for a potential solar PV system. This design is subject to change, however, and should be considered in at least one design scenario. The proposal should include plans for both a ground mounted and a roof mounted storage system and/or solar PV system, as relevant. General building photos can be found in Appendix A. Structural drawings and additional information will be provided to the selected Consultant or Firm upon contract commencement. The selected Consultant or Firm may request one or more site visits and may be permitted to install data logging and other metering systems as relevant, and solely for the purpose of completing the engineering design study. 3. AWARD OVERVIEW MassCEC seeks to retain one (1) Consultant or Firm. Services will be paid on a milestones and deliverables basis. A sample Agreement for Services is included as Attachment B to this RFP. 4. CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS A final contract is subject to successful negotiation of a final budget and scope of services. MassCEC s selection of a Consultant or Firm pursuant to this RFP does not mean that MassCEC accepts all aspects of the proposal, modifications to which may be requested and agreed to during contract negotiations. The contract will be reviewed during its course and may be extended at the sole discretion of MassCEC. 4
5. ESTIMATED TIMELINE O F PROCESS The estimated timeline below is subject to change at MassCEC s discretion. Event Date RFP release Monday, May 8 th, 2017 Deadline for Q&A Monday, May 29 th, 2017 at 4:00pm Proposals due Friday, June 23 rd, 2017 at 4:00pm Anticipated Selection Date Friday, August 25 th, 2017 6. ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS This RFP is open to all public, private, for-profit, and nonprofit entities possessing the requisite experience to provide the services requested. Individuals, sole proprietors, professional consultants, or companies with multiple employees (each an Applicant ) are each eligible to submit an application ( Application ). Teams of two or more of these individuals or entities are permitted to apply. In the case of teams, one entity must be designated as the lead and will contract directly with MassCEC. Experience working with public agencies is a plus. SELECTION CRITERIA MassCEC is seeking the most comprehensive proposal from qualified Applicants to fulfill the roles described below. All proposals must be responsive to the relevant scope of work and proposal requirements outlined throughout this RFP. Applicant proposals must possess the following primary selection credentials, and proposals should address the credentials using the respective section headings. Heading Technical Knowledge Criteria 1. Demonstrate thorough understanding of energy storage technologies and solar PV technologies, and specific technology aspects of solar plus storage installations. 2. Significant experience with commercial solar PV-, storage-, and solar plus storage- design, engineering and installation. 3. Demonstrate thorough understanding of energy storage safety, codes, standards and regulations (both established and emerging). 4. Experience conducting solar plus storage feasibility studies. 5
5. Experience in the education of Solar Plus Storage and Storage only technology (optional). Market Analysis and Business Models Siting, Permitting, and Interconnection Experience Project Management 1. Demonstrate thorough understanding of energy storage-, solar PV-, and solar plus storage- business models. 2. Demonstrate expert knowledge of the current energy storage equipment market and the solar PV equipment market, and other factors affecting installation prices, including site specific design factors, or structural or electrical upgrades. 3. Demonstrate experience with solar PV, storage, and solar plus storage performance monitoring and validation methodology. 1. Experience in solar, storage, and solar plus storage siting-, interconnection-, and all relevant permitting-processes. 1. Experience preparing solar, storage, and solar plus storage design documentation for use in the procurement of installation work. 2. Demonstrate energy project management experience. Additionally, MassCEC will evaluate Applications competitively on the following secondary criteria: Heading Quality of Application Value Demonstration Criteria 1. Quality and completeness of response and adherence to proposal format. 2. Performance on work similar to the scope of work required in this RFP, including examples as needed. 1. Proposed budget. 2. Range of services, aligned with the requirements of this RFP, offered under the proposed budget. 3. Applicant s references and recommendations. 4. Previous performance under MassCEC contracts. Applicants must submit a proposal that meets all of the proposal requirements outlined below by June 23 rd, 2017 at 4:00pm. 6
7. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS Applicants shall, as part of their proposal, provide a comprehensive and detailed cost breakdown of all the work to be performed, equipment, materials, and incidental expenses. Proposals must be no more than 10 pages (page limits for each section are listed in parentheses), and must contain the following: Proposal Cover Letter: Applicants should include a cover letter with their proposals. Executive Summary (1): Applicants should provide their proposed approach for working with MassCEC. Statement of Qualifications (3): All responses must include a statement of qualifications, experience, and description of the individual or Applicant firm and its/their history. The response should specifically indicate the Applicant s current and historical expertise in providing the required Solar Plus Storage or Storage only engineering design, evaluation technical knowledge, project oversight, and plan for how the Applicant will obtain any necessary third party technical support services. Staff Qualifications (2): All responses must include a written description of each individual s technology evaluation experience as well as a resume of each individual who will be providing engineering design and technical services (resumes do not count against the proposal page limit, but please consider the relevance of included materials) 2. Sample Projects (1): All responses should include, as available, summaries, sample reports, or other materials from previous similar engineering design studies and projects. References (1): All responses must include references from at least three (3) clients of the Applicant, and preferably clients who have utilized the Applicant on matters related to the proposed technical services. These references must include a contact person, a full address, and a phone number. Project Schedule (1): All responses must include an estimated project schedule which lays out all project milestones and length or date of completion. Budget and Rate Sheet (1): Responses must include a detailed budget, including information on rates of all individuals working on the project. Budgets should be broken down by task and service provided. Where Applicants anticipate using outside expertise for a task, the Applicant should include estimated rates. Attachment A: Completed Authorized Applicant s Signature and Acceptance Form Attachment B: Sample Agreement for Services 2 MassCEC reserves the right to investigate and review the technical experience and background of any or all personnel assigned to work under an agreement for services, and based on such investigations, to reject the use of any persons within MassCEC s discretion. Any changes to personnel require formal written approval by MassCEC, and MassCEC reserves the right to terminate an agreement for services if changes are not approved. 7
Attachment C: BFD training facility Electric Use Data QUESTIONS Please submit all questions in writing to energystorage@masscec.com no later than May 29 th, 2017 at 4:00pm. Moon Island Engineering Design RFP Question must appear in the subject line. SUBMITTING APPLICATION MATERIALS It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that this Application is complete and properly submitted, including all necessary attachments, letters or other supporting documentation. At its sole discretion, MassCEC may request supplemental materials from the Applicant and such materials must be submitted within 10 days of the request or the Application may be rejected without further review. Responses to this RFP must be received by MassCEC no later than 4:00pm on June 23 rd, 2017. Only complete and timely proposals will be considered. MassCEC, at its sole discretion, may determine whether an Application is complete. The entire submission must be in electronic form, including a signed and scanned Attachment A (Authorized Applicant s Signature and Acceptance Form), submitted via email to energystorage@masscec.com. Moon Island Engineering Design RFP Application must appear in the subject line. 8. GENERAL RFP CONDITIONS NOTICE OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE General Statement As a public entity, MassCEC is subject to Massachusetts Public Records Law, codified at Chapter 66 of the Massachusetts General Laws. Thus, any documentary material, data, or other information received by MassCEC from an applicant is a public record subject to disclosure. Applicant acknowledges and agrees that MassCEC, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether any particular document, material, data or other information is exempt from or subject to public disclosure. Applicant agrees and acknowledges that it shall not send MassCEC any confidential or sensitive information under this RFP. CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS Upon MassCEC s authorization to proceed with the proposal, MassCEC and the selected Applicant will execute a contract which will set forth the respective roles and responsibilities of the parties. In addition, the contract to be entered into between MassCEC and a selected Applicant will address maintaining the confidentiality of any proprietary information that the Applicant may provide MassCEC, subject in all cases to the same limitations set forth in Section 8 above. 8
WAIVER AUTHORITY MassCEC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive minor irregularities in submittal requirements, to modify the anticipated timeline, to request modifications of the Application, to accept or reject any or all Applications received, and/or to cancel all or part of this RFP at any time prior to awards. DISCLAIMER This RFP does not commit MassCEC to award any funds, pay any costs incurred in preparing an Application, or procure or contract for services or supplies. MassCEC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all Applications received, negotiate with all qualified Applicants, cancel or modify the RFP in part or in its entirety, or change the Application guidelines. This RFP has been distributed electronically using MassCEC s website. It is the responsibility of Applicants to check the website for any addenda or modifications to a RFP to which they intend to respond. MassCEC accepts no liability and will provide no accommodation to Applicants who submit an Application based on an out-of-date RFP document. 9
APPENDIX A: BFD FACILITY PHOTOS Note: These photos are for illustrative purposes only and should not be used for dimensions. 10