2017 SOLARIZE MASSACHUSETTS Request for Proposals from Massachusetts Communities RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 Posting Date: 10/14/2016

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1 1. OPPORTUNITY SUMMARY: 2017 SOLARIZE MASSACHUSETTS from Massachusetts Communities RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 Posting Date: 10/14/2016 The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center ( MassCEC ), in conjunction with the Green Communities Division of the Department of Energy Resources ( DOER ), is releasing this request for proposals ( RFP ) to Massachusetts cities and towns (each a Community and more than one Communities ) to apply to participate in the 2017 Solarize Massachusetts Program ( Solarize Mass ). Cities and towns may also elect to apply to the 2017 Solarize Mass Plus multiple technology pilot ( Solarize Mass Plus ), which pairs the Solarize Mass model with an additional technology offering. See Section A for more information. Solarize Mass is a community-based solar photovoltaic ( PV ) outreach and education program that helps drive down the installation cost of small-scale solar PV installations within the selected communities through a group purchasing model. To date, Solarize Mass has successfully served 63 communities across the Commonwealth. 1 MassCEC and DOER anticipate selecting up to ten (10) communities (or groups of communities) to participate in the Program. 2 Of these ten communities, MassCEC and DOER anticipate selecting up to two (2) communities (or groups of communities) that have specifically applied to participate in Solarize Mass Plus. Applications will be evaluated on a first come, first served basis. In order to meet threshold criteria, Communities must demonstrate that they have a clear and comprehensive outreach plan and program timeline, a committed volunteer team, an engaged municipality, and residents interested in participating in the program. If there is benefit to pooling resources or efforts, Communities may form multi-community partnerships and respond to this RFP as a group. A multi-community proposal may include up to four partner communities. Note that if Communities respond to this RFP as a group, each Community will be responsible for demonstrating that it will meet the proposal requirements and evaluation criteria outlined below. A Community does not need to be a designated Green Community in order to be eligible to participate in Solarize Mass. A. PROGRAM OVERVIEW AND GOALS: The aggregation of multiple small-scale solar PV installations within a Community provides opportunities to realize economies of scale for the solar PV installer, and ultimately cost savings for the customer. Installation prices for small-scale solar PV installations are generally higher than large-scale installations, in part due to the extra cost of customer engagement and acquisition including marketing, advertising, and negotiating 1 Please go to and select Program Background to see results and lessons learned from previous program rounds, including the Solarize Massachusetts Pilot Overview and the 2012 Solarize Massachusetts Program Update. 2 A Community is not eligible to apply if it participated in the 2016 Solarize Massachusetts program. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 1

2 with multiple customers. By educating and engaging the local Community, streamlining marketing efforts, and aggregating sales, the 2017 Solarize Mass program will help drive down the cost of solar PV projects and make them a more accessible energy option for residents. Figure 1 below shows the goals of the Solarize Mass program along with a diagram of the Solarize process components. The goals of the program include: Community Outreach and Education Increase education and awareness of solar PV Reduce costs associated with solar PV Increase local adoption of solar PV Competitive Installer Pricing Reduce Marketing & Acquisition Costs Lower prices; Increased adoption Simplified process Figure 1. The goals of Solarize Massachusetts and the methods deployed to save the customer money on a solar PV project. It is expected that customers will save on the cost of implementing solar PV by participating in the program. The Community may elect to request installers bid either a single fixed base price, or a tiered pricing model that results in a progressively greater reduction in the purchase cost. If the Community elects for a tiered pricing model, customers that enter into Power Purchase Agreements ( PPAs ) or leases will also receive a greater financial incentive from the installer as higher tiers of aggregate capacity within a community are reached. The Community has the option of selecting either a fixed base price, or a tiered pricing model. Members of the MassCEC solar team are available to discuss the relative benefits of each model, and can be reached by ing solarize@masscec.com. B. PROGRAM PROCESS: Community Selection Through this RFP, MassCEC will competitively select up to ten (10) Communities (or group of Communities) to participate in the 2017 Solarize Massachusetts program. MassCEC will accept applications from Communities starting on October 14, 2016 until program funds have been fully allocated. Each Community is required to propose a timeline for a Solarize Mass program in their Community, and designate a Municipal Representative and a Community Solar Coach. Upon selection, both designees will collaborate to work with MassCEC, organize Community meetings, delegate volunteer activities and responsibilities, and manage outreach efforts. The Municipal Representative, Community Solar Coach and core volunteer team will have the opportunity to receive training on the Solarize Mass program and how to answer common questions about solar PV, and an additional technology for Solarize Mass Plus participants (for more details see pages 6-7). As a general note, it is recommended, but not required, that the Community have an Energy or Sustainability RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 2

3 Committee that has been meeting regularly prior to the release of this RFP who is willing to be engaged with the project. Outreach, Education and Marketing To help accomplish the program goals, MassCEC will assist the Community and the selected installer(s) to deploy an outreach and marketing strategy to enhance local interest in solar PV or paired technologies, as well as reduce some of the marketing and acquisition costs associated with small-scale solar PV or paired technology installations. Each participating Community (even if participating as a group) will receive standardized marketing materials, as well as a $2,500 marketing grant to utilize for Community-specific marketing needs (as approved by MassCEC). Of the $2,500 marketing grant, up to $1,000 may be used by the Community as a stipend for the Community Solar Coach. If the Community wishes to pay the Community Solar Coach a stipend, it is the responsibility of the Community to determine the feasibility and administration of remitting such payment. Please see pages 8 through 10 for more information about the Community Solar Coach role and time commitment. If a Community can demonstrate that the $2,500 marketing grant funds have been fully utilized, and can further demonstrate a need for additional marketing funding, a Community can request up to an additional $2,500 marketing grant for use during the Solarize Mass program. This request must be made prior to the program sign up deadline. In addition to MassCEC s marketing and education toolkit, MassCEC will work with the Community to host a Meet the Installer presentation, where various stakeholders, including Community and other municipal representatives, MassCEC, and the selected installer(s) will meet with residents to increase awareness of solar energy and its benefits. The general roles of each party are outlined further below. Community Installer Selection Solar Coach Volunteers Outreach MassCEC/DOER Town RFPs Engage tech. consultants Marketing/Education SRECs Homeowner Sign up for a site assessment Talk to neighbors! Installer Free Site Assessments Competitive Pricing and Ownership Options Contracting Installation Figure 2. Roles of the different parties in Solarize Massachusetts RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 3

4 Please note that residential and small scale commercial projects are the primary focus of the Solarize Mass program. Commercial projects over 10 kw of capacity generally fall outside of the scope of Solarize Mass. This is because larger solar PV projects generally take longer to go through the contracting process, and the timeline for doing so will likely take longer than the sign-up timeline of the program. There may also be additional complexity regarding utility interconnection process. If larger-scale commercial projects are developed during the Solarize Mass campaign, the Installer may choose to count them toward the Community s total contracted capacity or tiered pricing, but they will not be the focus of the campaign s marketing and outreach. Within the 63 3 communities that have participated in the Solarize Mass program and with over 2,700 4 contracts signed under the program to date, there have been less than 10 commercial projects over 10 kw that have contracted under the program. As such, it is MassCEC s expectation that community outreach for this program will focus on residential-scale projects. Solarize Mass Plus Multiple Technology Pilot Selection and Overview Through this RFP, MassCEC anticipates selecting up to two (2) Communities (or groups of Communities) to participate in Solarize Mass Plus, which will couple the standard Solarize Mass model with an additional technology. The Community may select one (1) technology to pair with solar PV from the list below. MassCEC will accept applications from Communities starting on October 14, 2016 until program funds have been fully allocated, or two communities or groups of communities have been selected to administer Solarize Mass Plus. Each Community is required to propose their additional technology, in addition to the full Solarize Massachusetts Community RFP application. See examples detailed below: Solarize Mass Plus Solar Hot Water A solar hot water system captures heat from sunlight and circulates the thermal energy to a property s water tank. Solar hot water systems reduce the usage of traditional water heating fuels (such as oil, electricity, or natural gas) and thereby reduce the amount spent purchasing these fuels. These systems do not fully replace conventional water heaters, but can provide up to 80% of a building s total hot water needs. Solar hot water systems may also be installed to supplement a building s heating system. The cost benefits of including solar hot water can be most compelling for residences that use electricity, oil, or propane to heat their hot water or for new construction projects without access to natural gas, including in communities currently under a natural gas moratorium. Please see a map of home heating fuel type by municipality. If a site is feasible for a solar PV system, it is also likely feasible for solar hot water. Additionally, as work is already being done on the roof, solar hot water can be a cost effective technology that can be installed at same time. Click here to learn more about solar hot water systems and associated incentives. 3 The 2016 Solarize Mass program is currently active, 63 represents all previous and all currently active programs. 4 Reflects only completed programs to date with final data. This data is subject to change on a periodic basis. See for program results through 2015 and details on currently active Solarize campaigns. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 4

5 Solarize Mass Plus Air-Source Heat Pumps While traditional systems burn fuel to create heat, air-source heat pumps ( ASHP ) work by moving heat into or out of a home. ASHPs are an efficient source of heating and cooling in cold climates like Massachusetts. Though they require electricity to operate, efficient ASHPs use 40% to 70% percent less electricity than traditional electric-resistance heating, and can use the clean, affordable electricity from a solar PV system to provide heating and cooling for a home. The cost benefits of air source heat pumps can be most compelling for residences that heat using an electric baseboard heaters, oil, or propane, or for new construction projects without access to natural gas, including in communities currently under a natural gas moratorium. Please see a map of home heating fuel type by municipality. Click here to learn more about air-source heat pumps and associated incentives. Solarize Mass Plus Electric Vehicles The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles ( MOR-EV ) program aims to provide air pollution emission reductions for the Commonwealth by increasing the use of electric vehicles. Switching to an electric vehicle maximizes the value of the clean, affordable electricity from your solar PV system. Click here for more information on electric vehicles and associated incentives. Although electric vehicles reduce the use of gasoline, the electricity used in the vehicle is only as clean as the local electric grid. 5 By pairing an electric vehicle with a solar PV system, a resident can expand the impact of the clean electricity being produced at their property. Increasing demand for EV charging provides an opportunity for expanded use of solar PV, especially for sites where there is more roof or ground area for a system than electricity demand on site. Communities interested in pairing solar PV with electric vehicles are encouraged to engage with MassCEC to develop an action plan on how to engage installers to partner with EV dealerships. Installer Selection Process Solarize Massachusetts The selected Communities will manage the process to procure a solar PV installer that will provide competitive pricing for solar PV installations during the course of the program. As part of the installer selection process, selected Communities will appoint a Community review team (See Section C for a full outline of all roles and responsibilities). Once an installer is competitively selected, the Community or Community-selected third party will sign a letter agreement with the competitively selected installer. At that time, interested customers in the Community will be able to contact the installer and sign up for a site assessment. Customers with sites that are deemed feasible for a solar PV project will have the option to 5 See the Union of Concerned Scientists emissions calculator for more information: RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 5

6 contract with the installer before a specified program deadline. The installer will be the technical expert responsible for assessing individual sites, working with interested customers to design appropriate systems, and contracting with customers for installation of solar PV systems. MassCEC will provide the Community with template installer RFP documents, score-sheets, template community-installer letter agreements. See Attachment G Template Installer RFP and Related Template Documents. The selected Communities, may elect to use these documents, or develop their own. Separate from the community contracting with a selected installer, MassCEC will also sign a separate MassCEC- Installer Terms and Conditions document, which will clarify installer s ability to use MassCEC s logo, as well as other terms. An example MassCEC-Installer Terms and Conditions document can also be found as part of Attachment G. MassCEC will also provide the Community or group of Communities with a competitively selected technical consultant who will assist the Community in competitively selecting an installer. Technical Consultants will also provide technical guidance and project management assistance, including the following: Conducting a threshold review of installer proposals; Compiling score-sheets; Scheduling and conducting an installer proposal review call with the Communities; Scheduling and conducting interviews of a subset of installers, and; Scheduling and conducting Community debrief discussions to assist in Community selection of an installer The Community will elect to either require installers to provide a competitive fixed base price, or competitive tiered pricing, in which the cost goes down for everyone as more people contract. Although the Community will be responsible for driving the RFP and installer selection process, Communities should continue to keep MassCEC staff apprised of the status of the selection process. Please see Attachment F - Solarize Mass Community Best Practices Timeline for more information. Installer Proposal Requirements: In order for an installer to qualify to participate under the Solarize Mass program, the following requirements must be met: Installer must be competitively selected through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. For direct purchase projects, the installer must either offer a tiered pricing structure, where the system cost per watt goes down for everyone as more residents sign a contract, or a fixed base price that is competitive compared to the market. If a third party lease/ppa is offered, and a tiered pricing structure is being used, the installer must offer an additional incentive as additional tiers are met. An installer partnership where multiple installers are selected to participate in a community may be allowed, as long as installers offer the same base pricing across all installer partners under the program. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 6

7 For Solarize Mass Plus: Community will require that the solar PV installer offers the additional technology, or will apply in partnership with a company that offers the additional technology. In partnership with the Technical Consultant, the Community Review team should select the top scoring installers to invite to interview, ideally as part of a single day of interviews. Interviews may take place at MassCEC s offices, or may be conducted in a public space within the Community. As part of the interviews, the Community Review team and the Technical Consultant will have the opportunity to interview the installers. After the completion of the interviews, the Community review team, with input from the Technical Consultant, will select their first choice of installer. The Community will then move forward to contract with the installer for the duration of the Solarize Mass program. Solarize Massachusetts Plus Pilot The selected Communities (or group of Communities) will manage the process to procure a solar PV installer that will provide competitive pricing for solar PV installations during the course of the program, as clarified in the above section. In addition, the Community will require the installer to either offer an additional technology, or partner with a company that offers the additional technology. The cost for the additional technology offered in the installer bid should be sufficiently competitive to warrant increased resident interest and adoption. Communities should request that the company offering the additional technology either verify that they will offer pricing that is below the industry average, or that systems will be a pre-set percentage below the company s standard pricing for an equivalent system (for example, 15% below their standard price). MassCEC and the technical consultant will work with the Community to develop an effective RFP process to select a solar PV installer and partner company. Similar to the Solarize Massachusetts process, as outlined in the section above, MassCEC will provide template RFP documentation and other resources to Solarize Mass Plus Communities. Communities paired with installers as a part of the Solarize Mass Plus may consider creative methodologies for tracking installs for the additional technologies. C. EXPANDED ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TIME COMMITMENTS: The table on the following page outlines the roles of the different parties under Solarize Mass. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 7

8 Program Design and Procurement MassCEC/DOER/ Technical Consultant Community Solar Coach Municipal Representative Installer * Recruit Communities * Technical Consultant to determine if installer proposals meet threshold requirements, provide technical support, and assist communities to select installer * Evaluate installer proposals & assist in selection * Clarify specific program timeline parameters * Release RFP to select installers * Evaluate installer proposals & lead in the selection process *MassCEC recommends that the Community involve a member of the local Building and Inspections department, either as part of the procurement process, or as part of applying to the Solarize Mass program. * Submit competitive proposal(s) Reduce Cost to Customer Marketing Education Communication Installations * Offer Mass Solar Loan program for the duration of the Solarize Mass program * Provide Marketing & Education Toolkit to Community. (May include banners, educational materials, etc. and tools for Community Solar Coach) * Attend Meet the Installer presentation * Educate Community Solar Coach and volunteer team on program and solar basics * Facilitate a Meet the Installer presentation. *Provide a Solarize Mass website *Facilitate press releases and media outreach as appropriate *Provide a Communications Guide with standard talking points for selected communities to use when explaining the program. * Primary driver to managing volunteer team efforts to engage residents and enhance the group purchasing model * Reach out to local Community organizations, potential partners, and volunteers. * Organize volunteer distribution of information and marketing materials * Organize and mobilize Community networks over the course of program. * After Meet the Installer presentation, serve as point person for questions on program mechanics and basic solar information. * May develop communication tools unique to Community (i.e. Facebook page, Google group, etc.) RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 8 * Utilize municipal infrastructure to assist volunteer outreach efforts * Leverage other funds (if applicable). * Assist in streamlining the permitting process (if possible). * Demonstrate municipal support for program * As applicable, utilize municipal communication, meetings or events to encourage Community awareness of program * Clarify reimbursement process with volunteer team *Leverage additional resources ( lists, mailed bills from municipality, press releases, municipal staff hours, or funds (if applicable) * Provide link to Solarize Mass Community website on Municipal webpage (if possible) * Can utilize town-wide resources (i.e. lists, mailed bills from municipality, press releases or website) if appropriate * Clarify and outline permitting process for solar PV projects in Community *Identify any additional processes for installing other technologies * Provide competitive pricing for customers purchasing solar PV systems, and other financial incentives for PPA and Lease customers * Partner with Community Solar Coach to finalize combined outreach plan and disseminate information on program (as appropriate). * Serve as the technical expert on solar or additional chosen technology * May work with Community Solar Coach to develop communication tools (as appropriate). * Provide a portal to facilitate customer sign-up * Provide site assessments, system design, & a turnkey installation to customers **NOTE: MassCEC, Community, and installer will participate in check-in calls every other week. In addition, the Community and Installer will agree to share with each other, all initial interest resident lead lists that are generated through volunteer outreach efforts.

9 Community Solar Coach and Core Volunteer Team The main role of the Community Solar Coach is to be the primary contact between MassCEC, DOER, the Community, and the installer. The Community Solar Coach will manage the outreach and education efforts of the core volunteer team and additional Community volunteers, and to answer basic questions about solar PV. It is encouraged that communities not only designate a Community Solar Coach to manage outreach efforts, but also develop a core volunteer team that includes an additional 1 to 4 volunteers. Program experience has shown that defining the volunteer team structure at the onset of a Solarize Mass program can be highly beneficial. Once a Community is selected, this initial volunteer recruitment effort will help to prepare the Community to begin the program outreach immediately. It is recommended that each individual volunteer be considered for specific outreach efforts, and depending on their interest and skillset, they could be the driving force of a particular aspect of the Community outreach campaign. The following are examples of core volunteer roles: Chair of electronic communication and/or website; Event planning; Canvassing; Volunteer development; Outreach to resident organizations (civic groups, clubs, and places of worship), and Person-to-person engagement and outreach. These roles are not exhaustive and may or may not be applicable depending on Community specific volunteer team structure. It is also understood that these roles may change or evolve during the course of the program. Please review the Community Solar Coach Program Duties and Commitments Form (Attachment C) for further details about Community Solar Coach requirements. The Community Solar Coach for selected Communities will be required to sign this document in order to participate. Other core members of the volunteer team are encouraged, but not required, to submit a Volunteer Support and Commitment Form (Attachment E). Please note that an individual who works for a solar PV installer may be part of a Community volunteer team, but will not be allowed to take on the role of Community Solar Coach, or participate as part of the installer proposal selection process. As the Community volunteer team is the primary driver of the Solarize Mass program within a Community, the success of the program is heavily correlated to the planned outreach and education efforts of the volunteers. Please note that during prior rounds of the program, participating communities reported that total volunteer activity hours within a Community were between 400 to 600 hours during the course of the program. Whether the volunteer hours were broken up among a large or small group of volunteers, communities should be aware of this time commitment when applying to participate as part of the Solarize Mass program. Municipal Representatives In addition, it is expected that the municipality will be a supportive resource for the Community volunteer team during the course of the Solarize Mass program. The municipality may support the local Solarize Mass program in several different ways. First, by applying on behalf of the Community, the municipality is demonstrating support for the Solarize Mass program and the adoption of solar PV in general. In addition the municipality and the Municipal Representative may offer additional support in the following ways: RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 9

10 Utilizing municipal infrastructure for the benefit of the Solarize Mass program, such as municipal lists, mailers in tax bills or water bills, municipal press releases regarding the program, or announcements and links on a municipal website; Providing space for community events, such as Meet the Installer presentation, for minimal or no fee; Reviewing and streamlining solar PV permitting process (as applicable); Leveraging municipal staff hours or additional funds (as applicable); and Generally supporting the adoption of solar PV projects. Clarify municipal reimbursement process for marketing funds and solar coach stipends. Additionally clarify whether the Community will reimburse for sales tax. These methods of support are not exhaustive and may or may not be applicable in each Community. However, the scope of municipal support will be reviewed as an important aspect of the Community selection process. Ideally, the Municipal Representative should be employed by the Community. However, MassCEC may allow an individual to hold the position of Municipal Representative if they are not employed by the Community, as long as the Community can verify the following items are accurate: Community will clarify why a paid employee is not available to manage the position; The individual maintains a volunteer position on behalf of the Community, and is considered a special municipal employee; 6 Community will clarify that they support the Solarize Mass program in their Community, and will additionally support the proposed Municipal Representative to conduct their role as noted in the RFP Roles and Responsibilities section, and that the individual will have adequate access to request the resources listed above, and; The Community will clarify if the proposed Municipal Representative or a separate municipal employee will remain available as the point person for any questions from the public or press once the Solarize Mass program sign-up period it completed. 7 Community Review Team As part of the installer selection process, selected Communities will appoint a Community review team. The Community review team will be made up of the Municipal Representative, the Community Solar Coach, and up to two additional representatives selected by the Municipal Representative. 8 For communities that are participating as a group, the Community review team will be comprised of the Municipal Representative and the Community Solar Coach from each Community. The Community review team will be responsible for developing and launching an installer (RFP) and conducting a competitive installer selection process. The Community review team should be prepared to allocate appropriate time during the installer selection timeframe. 6 See for more information about Special Municipal Employees 7 After a Solarize Mass program is completed, the Community may receive periodic questions from the public or press about the program. MassCEC does not provide contact information for program volunteers once a Solarize Mass program is completed, and therefore will request that either the proposed Municipal Representative or other municipal employee be designated as the point person for these questions. 8 No member of the Community Review team can be affiliated (either directly employed or contracted for employment) with a solar PV installation company. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 10

11 D. COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: In order for a Community to be eligible to submit an application, the following requirements must be met: The Community cannot have participated in the 2016 Solarize Mass Program; The Community must be serviced by an investor-owned electric utility (Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil) or municipal utility that pays into the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust; The Community must have within its border at least 1,000 owner-occupied residences. Communities with fewer than 1,000 owner-occupied residences are eligible to apply if they partner with up to 3 additional municipalities and have a combined total of at least 1000 owner-occupied residences; 9 and The Community must submit to MassCEC a completed application form (Attachment D). Incomplete applications will be returned. E. FUNDING AVAILABILITY: MassCEC will provide each selected Community with the marketing and education toolkit, as well as $2,500 to use for local marketing and outreach efforts. Communities that have fully expended the $2,500 marketing grant during the course of the program may request up to an additional $2,500 marketing grant, provided they can clearly demonstrate how the additional funds would be used during the course of the program. This request must be made prior to the program sign up deadline. F. TIMELINE: A proposed timeline for the RFP process and program is outlined below. Please note that this is an estimated timeline and dates may be subject to change Solarize Massachusetts Schedule Tentative Timeline RFP for Communities: Released October 14, 2016 Deadline to submit Community RFP Questions Rolling RFP for Communities: Due Rolling MassCEC/DOER Threshold Review and Interview of Within 4 weeks of completion of Communities that submitted proposals (see section E Threshold Review below) Announce Selected Community(ies) / Request for Within 6 weeks of Community Review and Resubmission proposal submittal Community draft and launch of RFP for Solar Within 6 weeks of Community installers 10 selection Solarize Mass Community Volunteer Training Within 4 6 weeks of Community selection 9 See section 2.A. regarding the requirements for group proposals. 10 Recommend Community Review Team provide between 2 and 4 weeks for installers to respond to RFP RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 11

12 Solar Technical Consultant and Community review team review and score installer proposals Community-installer Interview Day (see section F below) Announce Selected Solar PV installers Outreach Strategy Development with installer Meet the installer Presentations with MassCEC and selected installer Customer Sign-Up Period Begins Customer Sign-Up Period Ends Deadline for Installations Within 3 weeks after installer proposals received Within 5 weeks after installer proposals received Within 2 months of installer proposals received Recommended 1 week prior to public launch Rolling Installer selection announcement Recommended 5 month period after installer selection. Recommended 1 year after contract signature G. COMMUNITY INTERVIEW: As part of the Community selection process, MassCEC will conduct a phone interview with the prospective Community. Representatives from the Community involved in the interview will need to include the proposed Municipal Representative and Community Solar Coach. Additional Community volunteers are welcome to participate, but are not required. MassCEC may ask questions that clarify the volunteer team structure, the proposed marketing and outreach plan, and overall Community interest and capacity in hosting a Solarize Mass program. H. QUESTIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION: Please submit all questions to the Solarize Massachusetts Team, at solarize@masscec.com. Solarize Massachusetts RFP Community or Solarize Massachusetts Plus Pilot RFP Community must appear in the subject line. 2. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA: A. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS: MassCEC is seeking Community proposals with a clear and comprehensive outreach plan and program timeline that demonstrates a committed volunteer team, residents interested in participating in the program, and an engaged municipality. MassCEC will return an application to a Community if any key aspect of the Community proposal or marketing plan lacks clarity or volunteer resources needed in order to make for a successful program, or does not meet programmatic or timeline requirements. MassCEC may elect to provide feedback to the Community, at which time the Community may elect to re-submit an application that takes any feedback into account. Please see Marketing Proposals from Communities that have previously participated in the Solarize Mass program available at under the Program Background tab. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 12

13 The proposal must be submitted electronically. Proposals should be submitted via to the Solarize Massachusetts Team at Please note that MassCEC will not accept typed or electronic signatures unless validated by a third party service such as DocuSign, EchoSign, or other service. Application submissions must have Solarize Massachusetts RFP Community or Solarize Massachusetts Plus Pilot RFP Community in the subject line. Only complete proposals will be accepted. MassCEC at its sole discretion may determine whether an individual application is complete. Proposals must include all required information listed in the Proposal Checklist in Attachment D. B. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Proposals will be evaluated on the criteria below: Overall quality: well-thought-out proposal components; Team: degree of team s outreach experience, breakout of volunteer roles, demonstration of volunteer team capacity to drive program and the breadth of partnerships identified in proposal. Additional consideration will be given to communities that can demonstrate support by the municipality for the Solarize Mass program; Marketing Plan and Budget: overall quality, scope and creativity of marketing plan, adherence to the Solarize Mass Community Best Practices Timeline in Attachment F, and use of grant budget; demonstrating review of 2011 Solarize Mass Pilot Overview, 2012 Solarize Mass Program Update, previous Solarize Mass community marketing plans, and review of the Solarize Mass Community Best Practices Timeline. Additional resources: the extent to which additional resources (both financial and otherwise) are identified and potentially committed to the program; Permitting: degree to which Community can outline the permitting process for solar PV projects (and other technology if participating Solarize Mass Plus) and identify any process or cost streamlining efforts; Group proposal (if applicable): demonstrate the advantages to responding to the RFP as a group rather than individual Communities. Solarize Mass Plus Proposal (if applicable): Demonstrate perceived Community value of pairing solar PV with one additional technology, along with proof of sufficient Community interest (see local interest section in Attachment D), and plan to build into outreach and education campaign. 3. GENERAL REQUEST FOR RESPONSE CONDITIONS: A. 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 to this RFP is a public record subject to disclosure. By submission of an application, 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. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 13

14 Applicant agrees and acknowledges that it shall not send MassCEC any confidential or sensitive information in response to this RFP. Applicant further agrees and acknowledges that MassCEC shall have the right to disclose the name of selected Communities and/or payee, the amount of the payment awarded, and any other information it may deem reasonably necessary on Open Checkbook, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts online database of state spending. B. CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS: Upon MassCEC s authorization to proceed with the proposal, MassCEC and the selected Community will execute a contract which will set forth the respective roles and responsibilities of the parties. A draft MassCEC-Community Contract is attached to this RFP (Attachment B). It is essential, in order to meet the program goals and timelines, that communities are prepared to execute a contract with MassCEC soon after their selection. Therefore, each applicant Community must review the Terms and Conditions outlined in the draft MassCEC-Community Contract and provide comments on those Terms and Conditions at the time of application. MassCEC s selection of a Community pursuant to this RFP does not mean that MassCEC accepts all aspects of the proposal. MassCEC reserves the right to make modifications, which may be requested and agreed to during contract execution. MassCEC anticipates that the term of the contract with each Community will commence within 1 month of Community selection, and continue for one year after the end date of the program within the Community. C. WAIVER AUTHORITY: MassCEC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive minor irregularities in submittal requirements, to request modifications of the application, to accept or reject any or all applications received, and/or to cancel or modify all or part of this RFP at any time prior to awards. D. 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. RFP ID: MassCEC 2017-SMP-01 14