Request for Applications:

Transcription

1 Request for Applications: Solarize Southwest Community Award of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for Local Businesses or Organizations Date of Issue: 07/16/2014 Application Due Date: 08/14/2013 5:00pm PST Issued by: RFA Point of Contact: Solarize Southwest Community Coalition and Northwest SEED Meghan Barrier Northwest SEED rd Ave Suite 901 Seattle, WA meghan@nwseed.org

2 Background The Solarize Southwest Community Coalition (the Community Coalition), in collaboration with Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (Northwest SEED), is seeking applications from qualified community organizations who would like to receive a donated solar photovoltaic system installed at their facility to generate renewable energy for the facility and to be used as an educational tool. This Request for Applications (RFA) is designed specifically to attract organizations that can help with community outreach and education about solar energy and that will provide a highly visible site with good access for the public to see and learn about the system. Northwest SEED ( is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2001 with a mission to establish a clean, diverse, and affordable Northwest energy system based on the efficient use of renewable resources with maximum local control and community ownership of energy assets. Solarize Southwest is a program of Northwest SEED with support from Seattle City Light designed to accelerate solar energy education and installations in southwest Seattle and Burien neighborhoods through a group purchase of solar electric systems at a discounted price. Participants in the program attend free public workshops to learn the technical and economic aspects of how solar works in Seattle and to qualify for a free site assessment. The Solarize Southwest campaign is the seventh Solarize campaign managed by Northwest SEED in Washington State since For more information on the Solarize Seattle program, see The Solarize Southwest Community Coalition (the Community Coalition), is comprised of a volunteer group of local residents and community groups coming together to support and assist in facilitation of the Solarize Southwest program. Organizations represented in the Community Coalition are Sustainable West Seattle and Sustainable Burien. As part of the Solarize Southwest campaign, Puget Sound Solar and Artisan Electric Inc (the Contractor) was competitively selected by the Community Coalition to serve as the solar installation contractor for the campaign. The Contractor is offering to donate a solar electric system to a community organization in southwest Seattle or Burien as a reward for the Solarize program reaching pre determined installation targets. The solar electric system will be awarded when 50 solar installation contracts have been signed by program participants. Application Process and Timeline Questions shall be submitted in writing (via ) to the RFA Point of Contact. In the interest of fairness, no telephone questions will be accepted or considered. All answers to questions submitted will be posted in FAQ format at Applications must be received no later than 08/14/2014 5:00pm PST. Applications must be submitted electronically in PDF format to the RFA point of contact. Incomplete applications and late applications will not be accepted. Northwest SEED will provide technical assistance to the Community Coalition during the selection process and is a non voting member of the selection committee. The Community Coalition is responsible for selecting one or more organizations that will receive a donated system. During the evaluation process, the Community Coalition and Northwest SEED have the right to request any clarification they need in order to understand the applicant s approach. Communications with members 2 P age

3 of the evaluation committee for the purpose of unfairly influencing the outcome of this RFA may be cause for the application to be rejected and disqualified from further consideration. Activity Due Date RFA Published July 16, 2014 Applications due August 14, 2014 at 5:00PM PST Applicant interviews & site visits August 20 29, 2014 Community award announced September 2, 2014 Outreach with awardees to boost Solarize September 2 October 4, 2014 participation Installation completed No later than March 31, 2015 Conditions & Reservations Northwest SEED and the Community Coalition may cancel, delay, or suspend this solicitation and may reject any or all applications, in whole or in part, if in the best interest of the neighborhoods represented as determined by Northwest SEED and the Community Coalition. Northwest SEED and members of the Community Coalition are not obligated as a result of the submission of an Application to enter into a Contract with any Applicant, and have no financial obligation to any Applicant arising from this RFA. Any contracts related to the installation and/or maintenance of the equipment will be executed between the Applicant and the Contractor. The Applicant will be expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Community Coalition, Northwest SEED, and the Contractor to confirm each organization s roles and responsibilities prior to work starting. The Applicant will also sign a contract with the Contractor that will include a description of equipment to be installed, the maintenance agreement, and warranty terms. The contract between the Applicant and the Contractor will state that Northwest SEED and the Community Coalition are not parties to the Contract, and that the Contractor will be solely liable for any claims, losses or damages arising out of the Contract. Community Award System Details The donated electric vehicle (EV) charging station will include all equipment and installation labor for a Level 2 fast charging station. The station will consist of a 240 volt circuit and charging unit that is wallmounted or on a free standing pole. The charging station will be installed on a dedicated circuit connected to the facility s existing circuit panel. See the charging station specifications in Exhibit B for more detail. The charging station will not be equipped with a meter or a pay station; the host will provide electricity free of charge to customers and will be responsible for the increased electricity usage and associated cost, estimated to be $0.55 per hour of charging. The award of an EV charging station is approximately a $2,400 value for the equipment and installation labor. The host organization may be responsible for additional costs associated with concrete removal and reinstallation or trenching exceeding 8 feet in length. These costs will be identified and discussed with the host prior to acceptance of the award. 3 P age

4 Eligibility Guidelines The facility must be located in the Solarize Southwest geographic target area (see Exhibit A). If more than one site is selected, the Community Coalition reserves the right to seek geographic diversity within the Solarize Southwest region. The facility must have at least one off street parking space that can be dedicated to plug in electric vehicle parking. The recipient must be a business or organization that serves the general public, and the EV parking spot must be open to the public during regular business hours (i.e., not located in a locked parking garage or on a member only property). Ineligible applicants include: individual persons representing only themselves and/or family, political groups, or facilities located outside of Seattle City Light service area. The recipient must own the building where the charging station will be installed or demonstrate in writing the possession of a minimum 10 year lease and the full cooperation of the landlord. The host facility must already be built or the property already developed (i.e., have an electric meter and circuit panel in place that is capable of connecting the charging station to the grid). The facility s main electrical panel must be able to accept a new 25 40A circuit (will be verified prior to award). The recipient must have the ability to manage the installation of the system in coordination with the electrical contractor within the desired timeframe (e.g., schedule construction dates, provide site access, etc). Application Format Proposing firms must provide a written application using the following outline as a guide. Please submit applications in 8½ x 11 document size using a minimum 12 point font size. Electronic applications in PDF format are preferred. Applications shall not exceed 4 pages, including cover letter and appendices. I. Cover letter The cover letter must be prepared and signed by a manager within the business or organization having the authority to enter into financial agreements on behalf of the business/organization and by the property owner (if different from the business/organization). Include the name, address, phone number, and title of the primary point of contact. II. Location Provide the street address of the proposed EV charging station site. Do you own the building where you propose to host the charging station or do you have a long term lease and landlord approval? Is the proposed location of the charging station open to the public? Will there be a dedicated parking spot for plug in electric vehicles? III. Education/Outreach How does your business/organization serve the community in southwest Seattle or Burien? Would an educational component, such as signage, be developed for the EV charging station? The host organization will be asked to help with Solarize outreach in order to increase attendance at public solar energy workshops in September and October Do you have any 4 P age

5 suggestions to help promote participation in the Solarize campaign? For example, are you willing to help with Solarize Southwest outreach by: o Hosting a workshop/open house o ing all of your constituents to encourage them to attend a workshop o Sponsoring food and refreshments at a workshop o Other: (Describe) IV. Energy efficiency and environmental values Describe historic and planned steps to incorporate sustainability into the business/facility s practices. How has the applicant exhibited a commitment to environmental values? V. Additional information Please provide any additional information about the applicant and/or the project site, the value of the project to your organization, reasons for participating, or other aspects of the application that you would like the evaluation committee to consider. 5 P age

6 EXHIBIT A TARGET AREA FOR SOLARIZE SOUTHWEST The area is defined geographically as south of downtown Seattle, west of I 5, and within Seattle City Light s service territory. 6 P age

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