News Article
PV Designer Sought By City
Peterborough City Council Seeks "Solar photovoltaic panels design
Peterborough City Council has a requirement for "Solar photovoltaic (pv) panels design. According to the description Peterborough City Council is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified contractor to design, supply, install, operate and maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at a number of locations in Peterborough and the wider Peterborough administrative area (the Contract). The initial and key location where the solar PV panels are to be installed is the former Freemans building (Ivatt Way, Westwood, Peterborough, PE3 7PA), a site of approximately 1 000 000 square feet. It is anticipated that this site will have a generation capacity of approximately 4.6mW.
2. The aim of this Contract is to establish a scheme to generate maximum Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs). It is therefore imperative to the Council that the contractor is able to commit to:
a. a Contract commencement date of 1 July 2011 at the very latest; and
b. a "go-live" date that allows the Council to receive maximum FiTs. This date currently stands at 31.7.2011.
3. The Council wishes to emphasise that a bidder's ability to generate maximum FiTs from 31.7.2011 will, amongst other things, constitute a key element of the later tender evaluation process for the Contract.
4. The Contract will be entered into by the Council, or a special purpose vehicle to be wholly owned by the Council, or a joint venture between the Council and investor partners.
5. The Council currently anticipates that it will require the appointed contractor to operate and maintain the solar PV panels to be installed on the former Freemans building for a period of 10-25 years. On that basis, the contract duration is likely to be between 10- 25 years but may be subject to break provisions from year 10. Further details on duration and break provisions will be set out in the tender documents.
6. The appointed contractor will be expected to:
a. Design the solar PV panel solution in accordance with the Council's requirements. This will require ensuring compatibility with the roof structure. It is expected that the structural survey of the former Freemans building commissioned by the Council will be available with the tender documents. The Council currently anticipates that the survey will be novated to the appointed contractor following conclusion of the tender process, such that the appointed contractor will be able to rely on that survey. In doing so, the Council is seeking to ensure it facilitates the conclusion of the Contract and the go-live date within the timescales set out above.
b. Supply the solar PV panels, inverters, fixings and all other equipment necessary to ensure successful electricity generation.
c. Install the equipment on the designated roof space, including liaising with the relevant Distribution Network Operators to ensure that the grid connection(s) is in place to export excess electricity as soon as possible before, on or after the go-live date.
d. Operate and maintain the installed solar PV panels for a period of up to 25 years.
7. Contractors expressing an interest in this Contract must hold appropriate qualifications, including but not limited to:
a. a current and valid Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation for providing solar PV panels; and
b. a current and valid Renewable Energy Assurance Listed (REAL) assurance scheme membership.
8. Contractors expressing an interest in this Contract must obtain FiT accreditation on behalf of the Council within the time frame set out above.
9. It is currently anticipated that the overall value of the Contract will be between 12 000 000 GBP and 15 000 000 GBP."
