When crafting a request for proposal for solar power, here are some issues to include, according to The Solar Foundation.
Roof integrity and warranties: Ensure that a rooftop solar installation will not adversely affect roof integrity or violate any existing roof warranties.
Financial requirements: Vendors should be able to document a financial capacity to cover any up-front design and installment costs and any expenses associated with additional development or maintenance.
Permits and interconnection responsibilities: Respondents should be fully responsible for obtaining and covering costs associated with any required permits (building, electrical, etc.) and utility interconnection agreements.
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Technical specifications: Applicants should outline their approach and specific system equipment, including brand name and models of modules, inverters and monitoring systems.
Operations and maintenance: Responsibilities and costs for ongoing operations and regular maintenance should be determined at the outset.
Performance monitoring and guarantees: Vendors should guarantee the minimal level of system performance with monitoring mechanisms that track goals, such as the number of renewable energy credits being generated.
Milestones and completion dates: All parties should agree to an installation schedule with specified completion dates.
