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Request for Proposals: Solar Photovoltaic Generating Projects

January 16, 2009 - Update
Please see the revisions made below to the RFP Calendar of Events.

July 31, 2008 - Notice of Change
Please be advised that LIPA has made changes to its Request for Proposals for Solar Photovoltaic Generating Projects reissued May 21, 2008 ("Solar RFP") in the following areas:

(1) Target schedule for selection and earliest date for commencement of deliveries;
(2) Date that the proposal and all pricing must remain firm;
(3) Responsibility for Interconnection Costs; and
(4) Deadline for Submission of Questions.

View Past Updates

The Long Island Power Authority (hereinafter referred to as “LIPA” or the “Authority”) is soliciting proposals through this Request for Proposals (RFP) to reduce dependence on fossil fuel electric generation resources by purchasing the full output of power and related energy produced by up to 50 MW of photovoltaic solar photovoltaic generating systems. LIPA is also seeking the Renewable Energy Credits (“RECs”) associated with such generation.

Proposals submitted pursuant to this RFP must meet both of the following threshold criteria:

Projects located at one or more sites each rated at 100 KW or higher for which the total aggregate amount of the proposal is 500 KW, or higher.
Projects must be located at LIPA non-residential customer sites connected directly to the LIPA system without net metering or on a stand alone site connected to directly to LIPA’s transmission or distribution grid.

This RFP describes the projects being sought by LIPA, the proposal requirements and the evaluation process. Based on the responses received, LIPA may select proposals from one or more respondents to achieve the total 50 MW requested. While LIPA typically enters into power purchase agreements (“PPA”) for the purchase of power secured pursuant to an RFP, because of the unique nature of solar photovoltaic installations, LIPA will consider, in addition to a proposed PPA, other forms of contractual arrangements. As such, LIPA encourages the submission of creative proposals that optimize the benefits of solar photovoltaic energy for LIPA ratepayers.

Solar RFP Web site: www.lipa-solar-rfp.org
LIPA has established a dedicated RFP Web site which allows for the submission of questions and other communications as specified in the RFP. Please register for access to the Q&A section by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking the 'Site Registration' link. Please direct all communications, including Notice of Intent to attend the Proposers’ Conference and the Notice of Intent to bid to the LIPA Solar RFP e-mail address at admin@lipa-solar-rfp.org .

REVISED Solar RFP Documents

RFP Downloads

Calendar of Events The schedule of key dates in this RFP is as follows:
	Issuance of RFP	Apr 22, 2008
	Notice of Intent to Attend RFP Proposers' Conference	May 5, 2008
	Proposers' Conference	May 12, 2008
	Issuance of Revised RFP	May 21, 2008
	Deadline for Submission of Request for Interconnection Cost Estimate	July 18, 2008
	Notice of Intent to Submit Proposal	July 31, 2008
	Deadline for Submission of Questions	Aug 4, 2008
	Proposal Due Date	Aug 14, 2008
	Proposal Selection at LIPA Board of Trustees Meeting ^REVISED	Feb 26, 2009
	Contract Execution ^REVISED	March, 2009
	Date through which Proposers agree to be bound by terms or their Proposals ^REVISED	June 1, 2009
	Earliest Date for Commencement of Deliveries (requires PPA to be effective) ^REVISED	June 1, 2009
	Final Date for Commencement of Deliveries (requires PPA to be effective)	May 1, 2011

Notice of Intent
It is requested that firms interested in submitting a proposal in response to this RFP submit a Notice of Intent to Submit Proposals via email admin@lipa-solar-rfp.org on or before July 31, 2008. Such notice should contain the Proposer’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address and contact person. Submission of a Notice of Intent to Propose is not a pre-requisite for submitting a proposal.

Prposers' Conference
The Authority will host a Proposers’ Conference at its offices located at 333 Earle Ovington Blvd., Suite 403 in Uniondale, New York on May 12, 2008. The Proposers’ Conference will include an overview of the RFP and an opportunity for Proposers to ask questions. A transcribed record of the Proposers’ Conference will be posted on the RFP’s web site. Please notify the Authority via email admin@lipa-solar-rfp.org if you will be attending the conference, indicating the names and titles of the attendees, by close of business on May 5, 2008. Attendance at the Proposers’ Conference is not mandatory.

Questions
Any other questions regarding this RFP should be submitted via the RFP web site on or before August 4, 2008. Responses to the questions will be posted on the RFP’s web site on a regular basis. No other communication of questions and answers will be made. Please visit
www.lipa-solar-rfp.org and register for access to the Q&A section by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking the 'Site Registration' link.

Eight bound copies of the Proposer's proposal, and one CD-ROM of the proposal in searchable text format (e.g., Word, searchable PDF) must be mailed, sent by courier, or hand-delivered so that they are received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 14, 2008 at the following address:

Long Island Power Authority
Attn: Michael J. Deering
Solar Photovoltaic Generating Projects RFP
Vice President for Environmental Affairs
333 Earle Ovington Blvd., Suite 403
Uniondale, New York 11553

One unbound original, four bound copies and one CD-ROM of the Proposer’s proposal in searchable text format (e.g., Word, searchable PDF) shall also be delivered by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 14, 2008 to:

Long Island Power Authority
c/o Navigant Consulting, Inc.
Attn: Robert Kendall
Solar Photovoltaic Generating Projects RFP
1400 Old Country Road, Suite 402
Westbury, New York 11590-5156

Proposals received after the Proposal Due Date will not be considered, nor will faxed or e-mailed proposals, whenever received. Failure to submit a proposal on time will not be waived by the Authority under any circumstances (e.g., traffic conditions, mail or courier failure). The Authority may conduct interviews of those Proposers found to be the most qualified to provide the required services. If interviews are conducted, the Proposer(s) selected for an interview will be notified in advance of the scheduled date(s).

Contact Information
Pursuant to State Finance Law sections 139-j and 139-k, this RFP includes and imposes certain restrictions on communications between the Authority and Proposers during the procurement process. A Proposer is restricted from making contacts (i.e., an oral, written or electronic communications which a reasonable person would infer as an attempt to unduly influence the award, denial, or amendment of a contract) from issuance of the RFP through final award and approval of the resulting Procurement Contract by the Authority and the Office of the State Comptroller (“restricted period”) to any Authority staff or Trustee (or consultants) other than as designated herein, unless it is a contact that is included among certain statutory exemptions as set forth in State Finance Law sections 139-j(3) (a). The Authority’s designated staff for this RFP, as of the date hereof, is Mr. Michael J. Deering, Vice President for Environmental Affairs, Mr. Mark Dougherty, Assistant Director in Department of Environmental Affairs, and Mr. Michael Standridge, Director of Corporate Contracts and Procurement, (516) 719-8620.

Please use Mr. Standridge as the primary point of contact. Authority staff and Trustees (and consultants) are also required to obtain certain information when contacted during the restricted period and make a determination of the responsibility of the Proposer pursuant to these two statutes. Certain findings of non-responsibility can result in rejection for contract award, and in the event of two findings within a four year period, the Proposer is debarred from obtaining governmental Procurement Contracts. Further information about these requirements can be found in the Authority’s Guidelines Regarding Procurement Lobbying which is posted on the RFP web site.

Any contact, beyond that allowed in this RFP, with the Authority Board members, staff or consultants during the pendency of this RFP may be grounds for disqualification from the RFP process.

The Authority will not provide reimbursement for any costs or expenses incurred in connection with this RFP, including the costs of preparing and submitting a proposal, providing any additional information or attending an interview. All material that is submitted in response to this RFP will become the sole property of the Authority. The Authority expressly reserves the right to utilize any and all ideas submitted in the proposals received unless covered by legal patent or proprietary rights, which must be clearly noted in the proposal submitted in response to the RFP. See also RFP Section VI.D.4.

Contract Period
Proposers should specify the proposed contract term under which LIPA would purchase the products offered under this RFP with the requirement that the term shall be no less than five years and no more than twenty years. The contracted deliveries must commence after June 1, 2009 and prior to May 1, 2011. Proposers may propose to ramp up deliveries between June 1, 2009 and May 1, 2011. Such ramp-up proposals should provide the corresponding schedule of such ramp up.