County of Alameda, General Services Agency – Purchasing
RFP No. 900977, Addendum No. 2
COUNTY OF ALAMEDA
ADDENDUM No. 1
to
RFP No. 901098
for
R-REP
Specification Clarification/Modification and Recap of the Networking/Bidders Conferences
Held on October 4, 2013
This County of Alameda, General Services Agency (GSA), RFP Addendum has been electronically issued to potential bidders via e-mail. E-mail addresses used are those in the County’s Small Local Emerging Business (SLEB) Vendor Database or from other sources. If you have registered or are certified as a SLEB, please ensure that the complete and accurate e-mail address is noted and kept updated in the SLEB Vendor Database. This RFP Addendum will also be posted on the GSA Contracting Opportunities website located at .A mandatory networking conference has been added to the Calendar of Events.
Alameda County is committed to reducing environmental impacts across our entire supply chain.
If printing this document, please print only what you need, print double-sided, and use recycled-content paper.
RFP No. 900977, Addendum No. 2
Page 1
County of Alameda, General Services Agency – Purchasing
RFP No. 901098, Addendum No. 1
**PLEASE NOTE – IMPORTANT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO Section II (CALENDAR OF EVENTS)**
The following Sections have been modified to read as shown below. Changes made to the original RFP document are in bold print and highlighted, and deletions made have a strike through.
Bidders should be aware that a new site specification sheet has been included for U.C. Berkeley’s Haas Pavilion, Site ID 93, Bundle M1, in Exhibit C.1.
Bidders should be aware that a new site specification sheet has been included for Alameda County Santa Rita Jail, Site ID 15, Bundle F1, in Exhibit C.1
These additional site specification sheets can be found at:ftp://alcoftp1.acgov.org.Instructions for accessing the FTP are in Exhibit C.5A
Page 12 of the RFP, Section E (SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS), Item 6 Workforce Plan has been modified as follows:
E.SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
6.Workforce Plan
R-REP has the potential to have a significant positive impact on the local labor market for solar PV, solar thermal, or fuel cell system designers, installers, electricians, general contractors, and other skilled positions. Participating Agencies are interested in understanding Qualified Proposer’s plans for hiring local workers and apprentices. Workforce requirements are further described in Section IV - Instructions to Bidders. In addition, Participating Agencies may have unique contracting requirements relating to local workforce participation. ThoseThe unique contracting requirements of each Participating Agencythat relate to workforce participation are described in Exhibit E.64.
Page 13 of the RFP, Part II (Calendar of Events) has been revised as follows:
II.CALENDAR OF EVENTS
EVENT / DATE/LOCATIONRequest Issued / September 18, 2013
Bidders Conference Q & A / October 4, 2013 @ 9:00am
Completed / at: Union City Conference Room
125 12th Street, Suite 400
Oakland CA 94607-6467
And via webconference
Completed
Networking Conference / October 4, 2013 @ 1:00 p.m.
Completed / at: Union City Conference Room
125 12th Street, Suite 400
Oakland CA 94607-6467
Completed
Written Questions Due / by 5:00 p.m. on October 4, 2013
Addendum1Issued / October 16, 2013
Step 1: Pre-Qualification Questionnaire Due / October 22, 2013 by 2:00 p.m.
Qualified Vendor Notifications and Site Tour Logistics / October 29, 2013
Site Tours / November 18 – November 25, 2013
Site Tour Written Questions Due / By 5:00pm on November 27, 2013
Mandatory Workforce Development Conference / December 6, 2013 @
TBD / at: TBD
Addendum 2 Issued / December 10, 2013
Step 2: RFP Response Due / December 26, 2013 by 2:00 p.m.
Evaluation Period / December 26, 2013- February 5, 2014
Vendor Interviews / January 29 – February 4, 2014
Contract Negotiations / February 13, 2014 – June 18, 2014
County of Alameda Board Letter Recommending Award Issued / July 1, 2014
County of Alameda Board Consideration Award Date / Q3 2014
Contract Start Date / Q4 2014
Note:Award and start dates are approximate. Each Participating Agency will determine dates following the County’s recommendation for award.
Page 14 of the RFP, Part II, Section A (NETWORKING and BIDDERS CONFERENCES) paragraph 3 states:
A.NETWORKING and BIDDERS CONFERENCES
Bidders Conference
The bidders conference held on October 4, 2013 will have online conference option enabled for remote participation. Bidders can opt to participate via a computer with stable internet connection (the recommended Bandwidth is 512Kbps) at In order to get the best experience, the County recommends that bidders who participate remotely use equipment with audio output capability such as speakers, headsets, or a telephone. Bidders may also attend this conference in-person.
A bidders’ conference will be held to:
- Provide an opportunity for bidders to ask specific questions about the project and request clarifications; and
- Provide the County with an opportunity to receive feedback regarding the project.
The bidder’s conference will be webcast and recorded. All questions will be addressed and the list of attendees will be included in an RFP Addendum that will be posted on the County’s website following the bidders’ conference.
Networking Conference
As indicated on the schedule above, there will be a Networking Conference to provide an opportunity for interested bidders to identify subcontractors, workforce, or other project partners. Although bidders are encouraged to attend, the networking meeting is not mandatory. Participants interested in attending the bidders conference and the networking conference are strongly urged to RSVP by October 1, 2013 to: . Please include “RREP RSVP” in the subject line.
Workforce Development Conference
The Workforce Development Conference will be an opportunity for Qualified Proposers to engage with local workforce development organizations. As stated in Section E of this RFP, in addition to the specific hiring requirements of Participating Agencies, the selected Bidder will be required to make a good faith effort to hire 40% local residents on all R-REP projects. Local residents are employees who reside within the nine county Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma Counties).
More information regarding the Workforce Development Conference will be provided to Qualified Proposers.
Page 17 of the RFP,Part III, Section A (PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS): (The following has been added:)
II.SOLICITATION PROCESS
The County will conduct a competitive two-step solicitation process, including evaluating and recommending bidders for award. The process will include:
Step 1: Pre-qualification of responsible and qualified Firms;
Step 2: Request for Proposals during which the County will consider proposals submitted by pre-qualified Firms.
Only those Firms that are successfully qualified in Step 1 will be allowed to participate in Step 2. The County will qualify multiple bidders in Step 1.
During Step 2 of the RFP process, the County and Participating Agencies may award multiple qualified bidder(s) selected as the responsible bidder(s) and whose response conforms to the RFP and meets the County’s and Participating Agencies’ requirements on a “Best Value” basis for all bid bundles. The Bid Alternate proposals will be evaluated on a “Best Value” and site-by-site basis.
The County intends to award bidders for its own sites, and make recommendations to the Participating Agencies such that they may award and enter into contracts with bidders on sites included in the relevant Bid Bundles. Each Participating Agency will individually negotiate and execute contracts with the awarded bidder(s) for the sites included within each bid bundle.
For the Bid Alternate, the County and Participating Agencies may award to a single qualified bidder for any site listed in the Bid Alternate.
A. PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING RFQ:
Applicants are to submit one (1) original hardcopy Questionnaire (Exhibit A – REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS BIDDERS QUESTIONNAIRE), with original ink signatures, plus one (1) copy and one (1) electronic copy of the Questionnaire in PDF with optical character recognition (OCR). The electronic copy shall be an exact representation of the original hardcopy. The file must be on disk or USB flash drive. The disk or flash drive must be enclosed with the sealed original hardcopy of the Questionnaire.
NOTE: LATE AND/OR UNSEALED QUESTIONNAIRES CANNOT BE ACCEPTED. IF HAND DELIVERING QUESTIONNAIRE PLEASE ALLOW TIME FOR METERED STREET PARKING OR PARKING IN AREA PUBLIC PARKING LOTS AND ENTRY INTO SECURE BUILDING.
Questionnaire will be received only at the address shown below, and by the time indicated in the Calendar of Events. Any Questionnaire received after said time and/or date or at a place other than the stated address cannot be considered and will be returned to the applicant unopened.
All Questionnaires, whether delivered by an employee of applicant, U.S. Postal Service, courier or package delivery service, must be received and time stamped at the stated address prior to the time designated. The Purchasing Department's timestamp shall be considered the official timepiece for the purpose of establishing the actual receipt of Questionnaires.
Questionnaire are to be addressed and delivered as follows:
REGIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PROCUREMENT (R-REP)
RFP No. 901098
C/O Michael Lu
Alameda County, GSA–Purchasing
1401 Lakeside Drive, Suite 907 *
Oakland, CA 94612
*PLEASE NOTE that on the bid due date, a bid reception desk will be open between 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. and will be located in the 1st floor lobby at 1401 Lakeside Drive.
The pre-qualification process is solely for the purpose of determining which Contractors are deemed qualified. Firms will submit a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (“Questionnaire”). The Questionnaire will be reviewed by the County which will determine whether applicants are qualified to submit proposals. The County may request a Contractor to submit additional information pertinent to the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire. The County also reserves the right to investigate and rely upon information from other available sources in addition to any documents or information submitted by the Applicant.
RFP No. 901098, Addendum No. 1
Page 1
County of Alameda, General Services Agency – Purchasing
RFP No. 901098, Addendum No. 1
Responses to Written Questions
Q1)Can bidders propose solutions that include battery energy storage within a renewable energy system, assuming the inclusion of storage reduces the cost to the local agency and improves performance? If yes, where on the bid forms should this be added?
A)Yes, bidders may propose battery energy storage solutions. However, these systems should be described as bid options and not reflected in the PV or Fuel Cell system cost. A separate section in your proposal should be included describing the battery energy storage system design/installation costs,operational costs and financial benefits. Consistent with Public Contract Code Section 4217 bidders must demonstrate savings associated with proposed battery energy storage solutions.
Q2)What arethe criteria for direct purchase vs. Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)?
A)The RFP specifies that we will use Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) to assign points to both PPA and direct purchase bid responses. See Exhibit G for details. Participating Agencies have requested pricing under both a cash acquisition and PPA method of financing. Many agencies may ultimately use a PPA financing due to budget shortfalls. However, this decision will be made by each agency based upon County Selection Committee recommendations, bid bundle pricing, and agency financial constraints. Bidders must provide pricing under each type of financing as described in Exhibit B.
Q3)Will the County let bidders know when geotech will be available?
A)Geotech information, where it exists, will be made available to qualified bidders through the SFTP site, after notice of qualification.
Q4)Can the County clarify if PPA and cash acquisition offers are required for each bundle or if either is acceptable?
A)Bidders must provide pricing under both types of financing for each bundle, as described in the RFP. The County Selection Committee will use Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) to assign points for direct purchase and PPA bid responses. Bidder selection will be made on the basis of the most points awarded across all criteria described in Exhibit G. The Participating Agency will then decide the type of financing that it prefers and enter into contract negotiations with the selected bidder.
Q5)Page 20 of the RFP, Section III (SOLICITATION PROCESS), Item B (REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PROCESS) states:
Qualified Proposers will be invited to submit proposals as described in Section IV, Instructions to Bidders and as specified in Exhibit B.1. GSA – Purchasing will review proposals to ensure that all required documents have been submitted. The Alameda County Technical and Financial Consultants will review and prepare an analysis of each proposal for consideration by the County Selection Committee. The Technical Consultants will use PVsyst and other models to verify cost and production data provided on the bid forms. Bidders shall bear in mind any proposal that is considered unrealistic, will be deemed reflective of an inherent lack of competence or indicative of a failure to comprehend the complexity and risk of the County’s requirements as set forth in this RFP, and this will be reflected in the scoring as described in Exhibit G.
What version of PVsyst will be used for the evaluation? Versions later than 6.07 have presented bugs to users recently.
A)If it is required to validate data submitted in a proposal, version 5.63 or version 6 of PVsyst will be used by the technical consultants. Bidders should use version 5 or higher of PVsyst and should indicate in their proposal which version of PVsyst they are using. Bidders are required to back up production estimates with a performance guarantee and should use a version of PCsyst that accurately represents the production levels offered in their proposal.
Q6)Will the County hold another bidder’s conference later in the RFP process? For example, if questions arise during the site visits, will the County be able to address them and if so, what would the timeline be for that next question and answer period?
A)No, another bidder’s conference will not be held. However, the County will issue an addendum with responses to questions raised during site walks. See revised schedule.
Q7)Will the County provide energy rates? Will they be accessible on the secure FTP sites?
A)The PG&E rate schedule for each site is provided in Exhibit C.1, Bundling Spreadsheet. In addition, the electrical usage data for each site is provided on the FTP site, which is available to all vendors. See Exhibit C.5A for instructions on accessing the FTP.
Q8)Can the County address the fact that while the proposal is looking for volume discount with bundles yet each agency may or may not select the recommended firm?
A)As stated in the RFP, Participating Agencies reserve the right to determine whether to accept the Recommendationfor Award and pricing as submitted. Bundle pricing as described in Exhibit B.2 – Bid Form should anticipate +/- 10% site movement within the bundle. Firms will be obligated to guarantee bundle pricing.
Q9)Can KNN describe how they view their role in this proposal?
A)The County contracted with KNNasthe financial advisor for the R-REP. KNN, along with the technical advisors,participated in the RFP development and will assist in evaluating vendor qualifications, proposals and prepare information for the County Selection Committee bid evaluation. KNN as part of the R-REP consulting team will also assist the County and agencies during the negotiations processes.
Q10)Exhibit A (REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS BIDDERS QUESTIONNAIRE), Part III (FINANCING PARTNERS), Question 3 states:
Does Prime Firm have experience with at least five (5) power purchase agreement contracts with each contract representing at least $1 million in project construction costs?
Will the County clarify the level of experience required?
A)The Prime Firm shall have completed a minimum of five PPA contracts with a construction value of at least $1 million each.
Q11)Exhibit A (REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS BIDDERS QUESTIONNAIRE), Part I (INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT TEAM), Question 2 states:
Identify and provide contact information for all other firms associated with designing, building and/or operating and maintaining the R-REP projects (excluding PPA investor and/or other financing firms if a separate organization) with which your firm may partner or subcontract. Identify, and if necessary, describe each firm’s role (e.g., project integrator, system designer, construction management, post construction operations and maintenance, etc.). If needed, please add additional pages.
Will the County allow bidders the flexibility in their subcontractor selection throughout the RFP process or will the County require bidders to lock themselves into using a particular subcontractors at this stage?
A)Bidders must identify their project team as described in the RFQ. We do not expect that firms will identify all their subcontractors at all tiers in the RFQ, only those associated with designing, building and/or operating and maintaining the R-REP projects. Should it become necessary to replace a subcontractor, the County will require a firm of equal or greater experience and ability. The County, at its discretion, will determine if a subcontractor is acceptable.
Q12)Will the R-REP team be evaluating any ground source heat pump geothermal projects?
A)No. Ground source heat pump geothermal projects will not be evaluated.
Q13)Is there any scope for a hybrid solution using Photovoltaic (PV) with Methanol fuel cells for the R-REP project?
A)Yes, bidders may propose hybrid energy solutions. However, these systems should be described as bid options and not reflected in the R-REP identified PV or Fuel Cell system cost. A separate bid form should be included describing the additional system elements, design/installation and operational costs. Consistent with Public Contract Code Section 4217 bidders must demonstrate savings associated with proposed hybrid solutions.
Q14)Will any of the projects in this proposal include solar thermal (hot water or heating) applications?
A)Yes, there are solar thermal sites included in the solicitation.
Q15)What is the estimated amount of this project?
A)As previously reported to the County of Alameda Board of Supervisors, the total estimated construction costs for all sites except the bid alternates is a maximum of $131 million using a cash acquisition methodology withoutany consideration for economies of scale as a result of the collaborative procurement. The County anticipates competitive pricing that takes into consideration these economies of scale.