Purpose & Background:
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is seeking qualified firms to submit proposals for the design, procurement, and installation of new residential and small commercial photovoltaic systems as part of a bulk purchasing effort to lower prices. The group buy program is offered by the MREA with support from other local partners. The MREA will coordinate and deliver a minimum of six free, public Solar Power Hour information sessions and market them widely with email blasts, paid social media promotion, promotional partnerships, press releases and more. Presentations will be a combination of webinars and in-person events.
Timeline:
- RFP Announced: February 27, 2025
- RFP Questions Due/Posted: March 13, 2025
- RFP Proposals Due: March 27, 2025
- Firm Selected: April 2, 2025
Q&A
Q: Could you provide more information about how Community Solar Subscriptions count toward the program? Are these the subscriptions offered by Alliant Energy in Iowa?
If the Subscriptions are part of the Group Buy somehow, how are those tracked, and by whom?
A: This is included so, in the case that community solar is available within a Grow Solar territory, we have an understanding of how you explain it to customers and how you differentiate it from residential solar.
Q: Will Solar Power Hours be delivered in person and virtually?
A: Correct, we plan to host both virtual and in-person events.
Who will present them? MREA or the Solar Developer?
The MREA will arrange for a presenter for in-person events, and will host the virtuals. However, we do like to have an installer representative at each event to be there to take on the technical questions.
Q: How many will be scheduled?
A: We do plan to have more than 6, but we are still in the planning phases with our events.
Q: Will there be separate Commercial and Residential Power Hours because incentives are different? Or, will the Incentives (whether available or not) be discussed as part of the Power Hour?
A:We likely will not have separate power hours, unless we get an audience with a business group or something similar. We do have slides that explain incentives for small businesses.and nonprofits within the regular power hour.
Q: Under the RFP Section 4 – Business Practice, Sections B and C seem to have the same language? Is that correct, or was the language intended to be different for those points?
A: Good catch. I believe the difference is “with program pricing”, so that we can see a proposal with and without the program discount. Frankly, I believe including just one and highlighting where the program discount is shown would be sufficient.
About MREA:
Between 2013 and 2025, the MREA facilitated over 70 Solar Group Buy programs around the Midwest, reaching over 14,500 individuals with our Solar Power Hour information sessions, and leading to more than 24,900 kW on over 3,400 properties.