Careers

Release Date: August 14, 2024
Proposal Due Date: September 13, 2024 for initial consideration
Selection Date: Rolling
Contract Period: As needed, establishing a base period (up to twelve months), with up to four (4) twelve-month option periods available by bilateral agreement.

Please note: this RFP anticipates needs for the next 12 months. The grant is in an early phase, with some services not needed immediately. We are seeking responses now to plan for future phases of the award, pending EPA approvals. 

Overview of Request for Proposals

The Center for Rural Affairs (the Center) seeks proposals from qualified contractors to provide planning and technical services for the Nebraska Solar for All program. This program aims to increase solar energy adoption across the state, with a focus on low-income underserved residential rate-payers. The Center has received funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement this program and requires expert assistance in various areas to ensure its successful planning, implementation, and management. You can read more about the
program here.

This RFP is structured to allow contractors to bid on one or multiple service areas based on their expertise. The Center anticipates entering into multiple contracts to cover the entirety of support services identified below. The Center expects to procure additional consultants for additional areas of work as the project moves forward. Please check back if you are interested in this project but don’t see your areas of expertise reflected below.

Scope of Work

The Center is seeking support in the following service areas. Contractors may propose to provide
services in one or multiple areas:

Program Planning, Evaluation and Reporting

• Provide technical advice and assistance in developing a comprehensive Nebraska Solar for All work plan and budget in fulfillment of EPA's requirements
• Assist in program design, including developing implementation strategies and project management
• Assist in identifying low-income and underserved households for project deployment
• Coordinate Nebraska Solar for All project work with other state and federal programs
• Design program evaluation metrics and methodologies
• Assist with EPA quality assurance requirements
• Other related program planning, evaluation and reporting services as required

Solar Technical Services

• Solicit information from and liaise with solar developers, utilities and other relevant parties
• Collaboratively work with stakeholders to support interconnection application processes and procedures
• Provide technical assistance on solar system design and installation, including site assessments, interconnection studies, system sizing, and equipment selection
• Conduct feasibility studies for potential solar projects, encompassing energy production estimates, financial modeling, and assessment of structural and electrical requirements
• Develop technical specifications for individual solar installations, including system designs, equipment requirements, and installation guidelines
• Provide hosting capacity maps for areas where solar installations are being considered
• Assist with quality assurance and oversight for projects that are selected to advance
• Other related solar technical advising as required

Legal Services

• Draft and review program agreements, including subscriber contracts, power purchase agreements, and interconnection agreements to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations
• Assist with legal aspects of site acquisition, lease agreements, title insurance, environmental, construction easements, and navigating local zoning and permitting requirements for solar installations
• Offer legal counsel on structuring projects to maximize available tax credits (or facilitate credit registration and transfers or credit insurance), grants, rebates, and other financial incentives while ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations including adhering to Investment Tax Credit, Build America Buy America, Direct Pay and Domestic Content requirements
• Draft, review, and negotiate term sheets, loan agreements, promissory notes, and security documents for program-related financing, ensuring compliance with consumer lending laws and regulations
• Draft, review, and negotiate letters of intent, joint venture, partnership and operating agreements, credit purchase and sale agreements, equipment purchase or lease agreements, EPC contracts, equipment and labor warranties, guaranties, and O&M agreements
• Provide guidance on navigating state and federal energy regulations, including public utility commission rules, net metering policies, and renewable energy credit programs
• Provide guidance on navigating tribal government programs and laws
• Develop consumer protection policies and disclosures
• Provide legal opinions or memorandums relevant to program design
• Provide general legal consultation in furtherance of the project

Procurement and Federal Compliance Support

• Provide expertise on federal procurement requirements
• Assist in developing RFIs and RFPs for additional program procurement needs including in the procurement of solar installers, solar equipment, and community solar arrays
• Offer guidance on compliance and risk mitigation in federal procurements
• Other procurement and compliance support as required

Proposal Submission Requirements

Respondents may demonstrate their qualifications by submitting any or all of the following as relevant to the proposed work. Please submit items in the order they appear below. There is no fixed format for submissions.

1. Completed copy of associated procurement bid sheet (required)
2. One paragraph statement of interest
3. Brief narrative approach to the proposed scope of work, if relevant to proposal
4. Demonstration of contractor qualifications and relevant experience with the areas of work proposed. Submissions may demonstrate this though any of the following: key personnel bios, resumes, list of similar projects completed, references.
5. Demonstration of experience with Nebraska energy, regulatory, and legal policy, where applicable to proposed work
6. Budget and rate structure (see below section)

Please submit proposals electronically to Jana Dye, Solar for All Contract & Compliance Manager, at janad@cfra.org with "Nebraska Solar for All RFP Response" in the subject line.

Budget and Payment Terms

Bidders are invited to propose a payment structure that best suits the nature of their proposed work. This may be on a time and materials basis, a periodic fixed-cost retainer, or a project fixed-cost bid. For time and materials proposals, please include hourly rates for key personnel. For retainers or fixed-cost bids, provide detailed information on the proposed services and deliverables.

Given the potential uncertainty in determining the exact time requirements for these services, we may initially request general hourly rates for the services outlined in the Scope of Work. This will help us establish a pool of qualified contractors for each service category. As projects become more defined, prequalified vendors may then be asked to provide more specific pricing for these defined needs.

Considering contracts formed from this RFP may last multiple years via exercised Option Periods, the Center and its contractors may consider using economic price adjustments when bilaterally negotiating the next Option Period's costs (higher or lower, as appropriate) for products and/or services. When initially submitting pricing in response to the RFP, these figures shall be the maximum/not-to-exceed pricing your business will charge during the initial/base period of a contract. This will ensure fair compensation adjustments over time while maintaining
cost predictability.

If the respondent is an individual consultant, the maximum allowable rate is $91.95/hour or $735.60/day. This is set by EPA. This does not apply to firms or businesses. Individual consultants may bid on a fixed rate basis as well.
The procurement process will follow the federal requirements outlined in the federal Procurement Standards of the Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 2 CFR 200. Contracts placed against this RFP will not exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) as defined in 48 CFR 2.101.

Evaluation Criteria

The Center will select contractors through a competitive process based on the following criteria:

• Proposed approach to work
• Qualifications and relevant expertise or track record
• Budget/price rate

This RFP will remain active and open until all relevant consulting needs have been filled.

Contact Information

For questions regarding this RFP, please contact Jana Dye, Solar for All Contract & Compliance Manager, at janad@cfra.org.

Terms and Conditions

This procurement is subject to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The Center encourages participation from small businesses, including Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), minority-owned, women-owned businesses, and labor surplus area firms. Contractors must not be debarred or suspended from receiving federal funds. The Center reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.

The following terms and conditions, when applicable, are incorporated by reference and apply to this solicitation and resulting contract(s), and may need to be flowed-down to lower-tier subcontractors:

(in all solicitations and contracts)
- 2 CFR 200.322: DOMESTIC PREFERENCES FOR PROCUREMENTS
- 2 CFR 200.216 PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SERVICES OR EQUIPMENT
- 40 CFR 33 APPENDIX A TERM AND CONDITION:
“The contractor shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin or sex in the performance of this contract. The contractor shall carry out applicable requirements of 40 CFR part 33 in the award and administration of contracts awarded under EPA financial assistance agreements. Failure by the contractor to carry out these requirements is a material breach of this contract which may result in the termination of this contract or other legally available remedies.”

(for solicitations and contracts in excess of $10,000)
- “All contracts in excess of $10,000 must address termination for cause and for convenience by the non-Federal entity including the manner by which it will be effected and the basis for settlement.”

(applicable to solicitations and contracts exceeding $150,000)
- 42 USC 85 CLEAN AIR ACT
- 33 USC 26 FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT
By submitting a proposal, your entity agrees to comply with all applicable standards, orders or regulations issued pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42 USC 7401-7671q) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as amended (33 USC 1251-1387).

(applicable to solicitations and contracts exceeding $25,000)
- 2 CFR 180 DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION (EXECUTIVE ORDERS 12549 & 12689)

(applicable to solicitations and contracts equal to OR exceeding $25,000)
- 2 CFR 1532 NONPROCUREMENT DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION

(applicable to solicitations and contracts exceeding $100,000)
- 31 USC 1352 LIMITATION ON USE OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS TO INFLUENCE CERTAIN FEDERAL CONTRACTING AND FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
By submitting a proposal, your entity certifies to the tier above that it will not and has not used Federal appropriated funds to pay any person or organization for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with obtaining any Federal contract, grant or any other award covered by 31 U.S.C. 1352. Each tier must also disclose any lobbying with non-Federal funds that takes place in connection with obtaining any Federal award. Such disclosures are forwarded from tier to tier up to the non-Federal award.