Addendum No. 1 RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2 1. Provide a very low maintenance battery storage option for both Yuba College campus and Woodland Community College campus. Size the storage per the following: a. Yuba College Campus: Sized to provide the most cost effective demand charge reduction. b. Woodland Community College Campus: Yuba College Campus: Sized to provide the most cost effective demand charge reduction. Existing Information Reference: RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects, page 5 “Proposers may also offer energy storage as part of their solution. Storage proposals shall separately indicate the costs, benefits, and additional operations and maintenance requirements of the systems so the District may choose between systems with and without storage. Additionally, storage proposals shall explain the basis for any estimated benefits (e.g., demand reduction, energy rate arbitrage) and all assumptions regarding calculating these benefits. The District intends to evaluate the economic benefits of each proposal inclusive of the savings associated with storage (as described in more detail in the Instructions to Proposers) to ensure the District is maximizing savings opportunities. If energy storage solutions are not economically viable, provide data, narrative, and analysis that supports this conclusion.” Revised Energy Storage Information: “Proposers shall also offer energy storage at Yuba College Campus and Woodland Community College Campus as part of their solution. Storage proposals shall separately indicate the costs, benefits, and additional operations and maintenance requirements of the systems. Additionally, storage proposals shall explain the basis for any estimated benefits (e.g., demand reduction, energy rate arbitrage) and all assumptions regarding calculating these benefits. The District intends to evaluate the economic benefits of each proposal inclusive of the savings associated with storage to ensure the District is maximizing savings opportunities. If energy storage solutions are not economically viable, provide data, narrative, and analysis that supports this conclusion.”
Transcript
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
1. Provide a very low maintenance battery storage option for both Yuba College campus and Woodland
Community College campus. Size the storage per the following:
a. Yuba College Campus: Sized to provide the most cost effective demand charge reduction.
b. Woodland Community College Campus: Yuba College Campus: Sized to provide the most
cost effective demand charge reduction.
Existing Information Reference: RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects, page 5
“Proposers may also offer energy storage as part of their solution. Storage proposals shall
separately indicate the costs, benefits, and additional operations and maintenance requirements
of the systems so the District may choose between systems with and without storage.
Additionally, storage proposals shall explain the basis for any estimated benefits (e.g., demand
reduction, energy rate arbitrage) and all assumptions regarding calculating these benefits. The
District intends to evaluate the economic benefits of each proposal inclusive of the savings
associated with storage (as described in more detail in the Instructions to Proposers) to ensure
the District is maximizing savings opportunities. If energy storage solutions are not economically
viable, provide data, narrative, and analysis that supports this conclusion.”
Revised Energy Storage Information:
“Proposers shall also offer energy storage at Yuba College Campus and Woodland Community
College Campus as part of their solution. Storage proposals shall separately indicate the costs,
benefits, and additional operations and maintenance requirements of the systems. Additionally,
storage proposals shall explain the basis for any estimated benefits (e.g., demand reduction,
energy rate arbitrage) and all assumptions regarding calculating these benefits. The District
intends to evaluate the economic benefits of each proposal inclusive of the savings associated
with storage to ensure the District is maximizing savings opportunities. If energy storage
solutions are not economically viable, provide data, narrative, and analysis that supports this
conclusion.”
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
2. Existing Information Reference: RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects, page 5
“All construction work shall be 100% completed by October 31, 2018.”
Revised Information:
“All construction work shall be 100% completed by September 26, 2018.”
3. Existing Information Reference: RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects, page 10
“Deadline for submission is 2:00 PM. PST, October 26th 2017. Proposals received after the
deadline will not be opened.”
Revised Information:
“Deadline for submission is 1:00 PM. PST, October 26th 2017. Proposals received after the
deadline will not be opened.”
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
4. Bid Bond Requirements:
Provide a Bid Bond per the following:
PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE - PCC DIVISION 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS [1100 - 22355]
ARTICLE 4. Bids and Bidders [10160 - 10169] ( Article 4 enacted by Stats. 1981, Ch. 306. ) Section: 10167.
(a) All bids shall be presented under sealed cover and accompanied by one of the following forms of bidder’s security:
(1) An electronic bidder’s bond by an admitted surety insurer submitted using an electronic registry service approved by the department advertising the contract.
(2) A signed bidder’s bond by an admitted surety insurer received by the department advertising the contract.
(3) Cash, a cashier’s check, or certified check received by, and made payable to, the director of the department advertising the contract.
(b) The required bidder’s security shall be in an amount equal to at least 10 percent of the amount bid. A bid shall not be considered unless one of the forms of bidder’s security is enclosed with it.
(c) All bids submitted pursuant to this section shall also comply with the provisions of Section 1601 of the Public Contract Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 290, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2013.)
The Bid Bond shall be provided with the Contractor’s Proposal.
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
5. Question: Will the District sign a non-disclosure agreement when financial statements and records are
provided to support Item 3, entitled, “Financial Strength” under “Proposal Requirements and Evaluation
Criteria” on page 14 of the RFP?
Answer: Yes, the District will maintain confidentiality of financial statements and records shared with
the District. Please also note that due to the number of pages associated with financial statements and
reports, this information will not be counted or included in the total maximum number of pages noted in
the RFP for proposals.
6. Existing Information Reference: RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects, page 17, 18
regarding “Procurement Milestone” dates.
November 6 & 7: Shortlist Interviews
Week of Nov. 6-10: Contractor/Vendor Selection
November 9th: Contractor Selection Submitted as an Informational Item to the Board of Trustees.
December 14th: Selected Contractor/Vendor Recommended for Authorization to Award to the Board of Trustees.
December 15-20: Awarded as soon as possible following the December 14th Board of Trustees meeting, pending Board Authorization to Award contract.
Important other milestone dates to include in your proposal schedule:
May 1, 2018: Construction Begins
October 31, 2018: Projects 100% Completed
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
Revised Information:
October 31st: 12:00noon to 3:00 PM Shortlist Interviews
Oct. 27-Nov. 1: Contractor/Vendor Selection
November 1: 10:30am Contractor Selection Submitted to the District Facilities Committee
November 9th: Selected Contractor/Vendor Recommended for Authorization to Award to the Board of Trustees.
November 10th-15th: Awarded as soon as possible following the November 9th Board of Trustees meeting, pending Board Authorization to Award contract.
Important other milestone dates to include in your proposal schedule:
November 16th-December 13th: Contractor/Vendor to prepare and submit the PG & E Application for “Interconnectivity” for all four project locations.
November 16th – December 13th: Initiate Contract Determination Process.
December 7th: Complete Due Diligence Reports, Topography, Electrical Audit, Underground Utilities, Overall Review, asap after award date in November.
December 13th: Execute/Sign Design-Build Detailed Contract with Approach Information as soon as possible after award date in November, after site by site due diligence and early design work is completed.
May 24th, 2018: Construction Begins
September 26th, 2018: Construction Work Completed 100% on all 4 Projects
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
7. Existing Information Reference: RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects, Exhibit B,
Technical Specifications, Item 1.1 Permits
Clarifications:
(a) The District will directly pay all Division of the State Architect (DSA) Fees.
(b) The District will directly pay all PG&E Interconnectivity Fees.
8. Please refer to the following DropBox link regarding existing District Geotechnical Survey
Reports:
a. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cmhym8huodrnr3r/AACbdRa67QQoDxtPMlTA6g2ca?dl=0
9. Please refer to the following DropBox link regarding existing underground utilities at all District
27. Due to the fires in the Lake County Campus area near Clear Lake, there is no longer a
mandatory pre-proposal requirement for contractors associated with this location. Please do
however still include a new solar photovoltaic system for the Lake County Campus location.
Mandatory Pre-Proposal Contractor Walk-Through’s of the following locations remain required to be
considered a “qualified” Contractor for this project:
A. Yuba College Campus
B. Sutter Campus
C. Woodland Community College Campus
28. Question: At Woodland, can a double T be erected on the southernmost row or is it required to be a single T? Answer: Please see item number 22 above. Please provide equal length of single and double T structure with 50% in the west and 50% in the east parking lot areas.
29. Question: At Woodland, how important is the construction of the structures along the southern row as opposed to building them in two rows on one half of the parking lot? (Bearing in mind that construction primarily along the southern row, while more visible, will also cover a higher proportion of ADA spaces and increase the cost as the array will be more spread out.) Answer: Please provide a Deductive Alternate price to include two rows of double T construction in the East parking lot Only. This Deductive Alternate would then not include any structure or systems in the west parking lot.
30. Question: Specifications: Is landscaping of any islands from which trees are removed expected? At the Woodland walk, no landscaping was suggested; however the RFP Exhibit B, Section 3.5 2nd ¶ indicates that we are responsible for ground cover material. If required, will desert gravel be acceptable? Answer: If trees are currently in the area which new structures are to be installed, the contractor is required to remove them, repair any damaged irrigation piping from the removal of the trees. If the tree is in a grass area, the grass should be repaired. If the tree is in an
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
existing planter area, the ground material present in the planter area shall be smoothed over level.
31. Question: Can you clarify the 50°C requirement for the inverters in Exhibit B 4.2.G? Does this mean that the inverter cannot begin to derate its output until 50°C or that the inverter must be able to exceed 50°C and begin derating at some higher (unspecified) temperature? Answer: The inverter must be able to operate per its specifications until at least 50°C.
32. Question: Can you speak to the requirement for inverters located outdoors to be housed in a lockable NEMA 3R enclosure? Is lockability a requirement? If required, if the inverters are NEMA rated themselves and housed in something lockable – is that acceptable? Answer: Yes, that is acceptable.
33. Question: Can you clarify the intent of the last sentence of Section 4.2? Is it to say that the inverters must comply with the stated sections of NEC, with the reference to direct external communications being a mistake? Answer: That sentence includes a typo. It should read, “Inverters rated to 1000 VDC shall comply with NEC Articles 690 and 490, and all other requirements applicable to installations rated over 1000 volts (V).”
34. Question: Please confirm that section 4.6 is only applicable to external, separate DC combiner boxes and not to combiner boxes which are integral to their inverters. Answer: Confirmed.
35. Question: Please clarify the accuracy requirement in section 4.7 which asks for “accuracy of better than -5percent of the reading.” Is this supposed to read “+/- 5 percent of the reading?” Answer: Yes, that should read “+/- 5 percent of the reading.”
36. Question: In section 6.3, baseplates are required to be metal. If the structure does not require anchor bolts and is wet-set, will a baseplate be required? Answer: Baseplates will not be required in this case.
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
37. Question: In section 6.12, will the fascia need to be painted as well?
Answer: Fascia will need to have a manufacturer coating, color by District, to provide long lasting weather performance, be UV rated, and provide corrosion protection with a quality finish aesthetically appealing appearance.
38. Question: Is a bid bond required? If so, please explain what form a bid bond should take and how large it should be. Answer: Yes, see item number 4 above.
39. Question: Will we be required to sign the CAFS as part of the submission or can we submit our own EPC as an outline in lieu of this along with the supporting documents and information requested on the first three pages of the CAFS? Answer: You will not be required to sign the CAFS as part of the submission. You can submit your own EPC as an outline in lieu of the CAFS with all supporting documents and information requested in the first three pages of the CAFS. Please make sure you include your certificates of insurance with the proper amounts and listing the District as the certificate holder. Please make sure you provide confirmation to provide a Performance Bond and a Construction Labor and Material Payment Bond within 7 days after the award date. Please also provide information listed in the CAFS, General Conditions Appendix A, list of subcontractors, change order mark-ups, references, proposal signature form, non-collusion affidavit form, and bid sheets per exhibit L.
40. Question: Does the Woodland campus require a 12kV connection or is a 480V connection acceptable? Answer: A 480V connection is acceptable as long as it does not result in any adverse affects regarding the existing electrical distribution system, performance of existing equipment, and meets all current California Building Codes.
41. Question: What clearance height is required for the structures? Answer: Refer to item 15 above.
42. Question: Bird spikes on every horizontal surface and the tops of the inverters were mentioned at the site walk today. Can you elaborate on “every horizontal surface?” It is your intent to have the spikes on the tops of the inverters and fascia? Under canopy lighting? On
Addendum No. 1
RFP 17-02 YCCD Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Date: 10/10/2017, Rev. 2
Date: January 26, 2016
the horizontal surfaces of purlins? On the beams? There are a lot of horizontal surfaces and we want to make sure we capture only the correct ones. Answer: Install Bird spikes on all horizontal surfaces where birds may gather. Although we do not wish that the bird spikes detract from the look and feel of the structures, we do need to install enough of them to keep birds off of the surfaces, especially up under the structures. Surfaces that are exposed to the sun do not need to have bird spikes. Please do however install bird spikes above panels and inverters to keep people from using the panels and inverters to climb up onto the structures.
