Solar PV Preventive Maintenance Inspection and Technical Consulting Services

The Connecticut Green Bank (Green Bank) seeks proposals from qualified firms to perform annual preventive maintenance inspections and provide independent technical consulting, troubleshooting, scope-of-work development, and proposal review services in support of its portfolio of 150 commercial and institutional solar photovoltaic systems located throughout Connecticut. The portfolio totals approximately 22.5 MW DC of installed capacity across 62 municipalities, with systems ranging from 6.0 kW to 1,267.2 kW DC. The Green Bank relies on third-party O&M contractors for routine and corrective work and requires an independent technical resource to perform comprehensive annual inspections, investigate performance and equipment issues, and help define and review corrective work. The engagement is estimated to require approximately 30 to 40 hours per week, though actual hours will vary based on portfolio needs.

The Contractor shall perform one comprehensive preventive maintenance inspection (PMI) at each of the 150 sites each contract year. Each PMI must include visual inspection of PV modules for cracking, delamination, and soiling; inspection of racking, mounting hardware, and torque verification; inspection and testing of inverters, combiner boxes, disconnects, and grounding; infrared thermographic scanning; string-level open-circuit voltage and operating current measurements; verification of revenue-grade meter and monitoring system function; and inspection of site conditions such as vegetation, drainage, roof penetrations, and signage. A written PMI report must be submitted within ten business days of each site visit, including photographs, infrared imagery, measured values, and a deficiency log with corrective recommendations and priority classifications. The Contractor may also be asked to perform electrical and solar system assessments, develop detailed scopes of work for O&M contractors, and visit sites after corrective work is completed.

Mandatory qualifications include a Connecticut E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor license held by the respondent or a principal, with the licensed electrician personally performing or directly supervising all inspection and diagnostic work. Respondents must demonstrate experience with commercial solar PV preventive maintenance, troubleshooting electrical faults and underperformance, and developing scopes of work. Preferred qualifications include being a sole proprietor or single-principal firm for whom this engagement is a primary focus, emphasizing continuity of personnel, and experience with battery energy storage systems. Proposals should include an hourly rate sheet for each labor category and may include a fixed price for PMIs.

Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis with no specified close date; the Green Bank reserves the right to close the RFP and select a contractor at any time. Proposals must be submitted electronically to Dawn Boutin at solarassetmanagement@ctgreenbank.com with the subject line "Proposal for SOLAR PV PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION AND TECHNICAL CONSULTING SERVICES." The Green Bank may require interviews. The contract will be a Professional Services Agreement with a 12-month term and insurance requirements including commercial general liability of $1M/$2M, automobile liability of $1M, workers' compensation statutory, umbrella liability of $5M, and professional liability of $1M.