Request for Qualifications
Energy Conservation Performance Contracting Program
For Proposition 39
California Clean Energy Jobs Act
Section I
General Information
River Valley Charter School (RVCS), authorized by the Lakeside Union School District
(LUSD) is seeking Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) or other qualified firms having
specific qualifications and experience in utilities analysis and providing comprehensive
energy management and energy-related capital improvement services. River Valley
Charter School is seeking Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) from qualified
organizations to provide design-build services for Proposition 39 pursuant to California
Government Code 4217.10 et. seq. which provides a process whereby school district,
and other public agencies may enter into energy services contracts of this nature. RVCS
intends to use a competitive process to select a qualified firm, based upon qualitative
and technical criteria to provide design-build comprehensive energy management and
energy-related capital improvement services. The improvements will be aimed at
reducing energy consumption associated with the heating, ventilation and air
conditioning system, the lighting systems, building envelope, and other energy
consuming devices and systems, as well as through the possible deployment of
renewable energy systems. The selected firm will assist RVCS in developing and
implementing an energy master plan, related cost estimate, schedules, construction,
commissioning and administration that incorporates appropriate utilization of the RVCS’s
Proposition 39 allocation as well as other relevant funding sources. It is the intent of
RVCS to approve a firm that will be used to develop, implement and complete a strategy
to best utilize Proposition 39 funds currently allocated to RVCS.
Section II
Qualifications
The District intends to contract with a Firm that has the following qualifications:

Five (5) California K-12 customer references for which the respondent provided
turn-key responsibility of similar energy performance contracting services in the
past five (5) years.

Extensive experience in the successful analysis and development of energy
efficiency measures; including auditing, savings calculation, project costing,
strategic planning, design specification, construction oversight, commissioning,
maintenance and energy management.

Active G.C. license in the State of California is required.
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
A proven record of on-time and on-budget performance.

Experience in securing all available services, grants, rebates, incentives and
financing available through Federal, State, local and Utility Company programs.

Knowledge and understanding of applicable California Building Codes; including
current Title 24 Energy Code, CAL Green, Title S and Field Act.

Accredited by the National Association of Energy Services Companies
(NAESCO) or included on the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Qualified List
of Energy Service Companies.

Competent management support at all levels.

Ability to effectively communicate with RVCS Board, administration, staff,
students and community as needed.
Section III
RFQ Process and Submittal Requirements
The District intends to use the RFQ process to solicit proposals from various candidate
organizations, conduct a fair and extensive evaluation based on criteria listed herein,
and select the Firm that represents the best-value criteria for River Valley Charter
School.
This Request for Qualifications represents the requirements for an open and competitive
process.
Provisions of this RFQ and the contents of the successful responses are considered
available for inclusion in final contractual obligations.
District shall have the right to negotiate any and all final terms and conditions of any
agreement with the Firm and nothing in this RFQ or any response shall be deemed or
construed as limitation of such rights. All contractual terms and conditions will be subject
to review by the District legal counsel and will include scope, budget, schedules and
other necessary items pertaining to the project. Prior to the District entering into a
contractual agreement for project implementation, an agreed upon scope of work and
project pricing will require separate Board of Directors’ approval.
This RFQ is solely a solicitation for Responses. Neither this RFQ nor any Response to
this RFQ shall be deemed or construed to: (i) create any contractual relationship
between District and any Firm; (ii) create any obligation for District to enter into a
contract with any Firm or party; (iii) serve as the basis for a claim for reimbursement for
costs associated with submittal of any Response.
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RVCS reserves the right to:

Investigate the qualifications of all Firms under consideration and to confirm any
part of the information furnished.

Require other evidence of managerial, financial or technical capabilities that are
considered necessary for the successful performance of the requested services.

Select the firm that, in its sole opinion, is the most capable of providing the range
of services described in the RFQ.

At its sole discretion, select the Firm for subsequent energy conservation phases.

Not select any firm based on Responses to this RFQ.
PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS
Ink or Typewritten
All information, prices, notations, signatures and corrections must be in ink or
typewritten. Mistakes may be crossed out and corrections typed or printed adjacent to
the mistake and initialed in ink by the person signing the proposal.
Signature Verification
To be considered for award, the proposal must contain the signature of a duly authorized
agent of the Firm.
Proposal Documents
Proposals received after 2:00 p.m. PST, April 25, 2017, will not be considered and will
be returned unopened.
If the Firm submitting a proposal must outsource or contract any work to meet the
requirements contained herein, this must be clearly stated in the proposal. Subcontractor must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined. In your
proposal, please provide the name, address and contractor license of the sub-contractor.
RVCS will not refuse a proposal based upon the use of sub-contractors; however, the
District retains the right to refuse the sub-contractors you have selected.
Additionally, all costs included in the proposal must be all-inclusive to include any
outsourced or contracted work. All costs must be itemized to include an explanation of
all fees and costs.
Informed Respondent
It is the Firm’s responsibility to be fully informed as to the conditions, requirements and
specifications before submitting proposals. Failure to do so will be at the Firm’s own risk
and relief cannot be secured on the plea of error.
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Section IV
Proposal Submission Requirements
One (1) original and two (2) copies of the proposal shall be submitted in the format
contained in the RFQ. It is critical that all responses follow the same format to allow
equal and fair evaluation of each response. Responses should include the following:

COVER LETTER
A signed letter of interest, no more than two (2) pages, stating the Firm’s interest
and qualifications in providing the services as outlined in the RFQ. Please
describe how the Firm meets the desired requirements as described in Section
III: RFQ PROCESS and SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS of this RFQ.
A synopsis, no more than two (2) pages, stating the Firm’s understanding of Prop
39 program regulations, requirements and benefits.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Table of Contents of the proposal should include a clear and complete
identification of the materials submitted by tab section and page number.

SECTION TABS
To assist the District in evaluating proposals and identifying items and
information submitted:
o Proposals should be divided by tab sections according to items in the
index.
Tab 1: Background. Financial Capacity & Management Structure
o Provide general information on the Firm including: a brief history of the
Firm, key differentiating factors and areas of expertise, length of time
performing services and location of California offices.
o
Provide a statement of the Firm’s financial capacity and capability to
perform to the terms of this RFQ.
o
Provide a list of the personnel to be used on this project and describe
their qualifications and experience with projects of a similar size and
scope.
o
Describe the management structure of the responding Firm and include
an organizational chart.
o
Provide information on bonding and the maximum bonding capacity the
Firm has for a single energy efficiency project.
Tab 2: School Energy Efficiency Experience
o Provide detailed project history for five (5) California K-12 clients for
which the Firm has contracted with for similar energy services in the past
five (5) years.
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o
Describe the scope of work of the project indicating start/completion date,
services and equipment provided, project size, total project savings,
funding sources and any additional benefits to the customer.
o
The District intends to utilize pre-retrofit utility bill versus post-retrofit utility
bill comparisons (i.e. International Performance Measurement &
Verification Protocol (IPMVP) Option C to validate energy savings. Option
C is the IPMVP measurement and verification (M&V) approach that most
closely follows CEC Prop 39 guidelines for project tracking and reporting.
Tab 3: Project Approach
o Provide a description of the Firm’s approach to performing energy audits
and identifying improvement measures.
o
Provide a description of the Firm’s approach to design specs and
engineer requirements for large scale mechanical equipment that has
been identified as an EEM.
o
Provide a description of the Firm’s approach to managing the project
implementation and procedures for minimizing occupant disruptions.
o
Describe the steps taken by the Firm during and after the turnover
process to ensure successful project implementation.
o
Describe training program available for District staff.
o
Provide a description of the Firm’s approach to a typical scope of work,
including performing EEM’s, calculating energy savings and sequencing
of improvement.
o
Describe how the Firm can ensure construction deadlines are met.
Tab 4: Documenting Savings
o Describe the Firm’s approach to projecting and proving energy savings.
o
Describe the methodology, formulas and reporting of the savings and the
associated IPMVP option used to quantify savings.
o
Provide a description of monitoring services after installation to ensure
continued savings.
Tab 5: Pricing and Cost Estimates
o Firm shall estimate all project costs associated with implementing the
EEM’s on a typical scope of work. Total estimated cost should include all
labor, materials and equipment necessary to complete a typical
installation.
o
For services billed on a non-hourly-rate basis (e.g., ASHRAE level 2
audits, benchmarking, building information modeling), please provide the
Firm’s pricing for those services (e.g. S/sq ft/building).
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Tab 6: Additional Benefits and Value Added Elements
o Please describe any additional benefits that may result from EEM
implementation and the Firm’s added value elements in providing
products/services for energy projects; including, but not limited to, job
creation, potential greenhouse emissions reductions, learning
environment or indoor air quality.
Section V
Guidelines
The Firm must be capable of providing all of the following Prop 39 energy services,
including, but not limited to, application, implementation and post-project reporting
services for all approved EEM’s:
Proposition 39 Application Assistance

Capture electric and gas usage/billing data — identify all electric and natural gas
accounts for the District. Provide a utility data release form allowing the Energy
Commission to access both historical (the past 12 months) and future utility
billing data and time-of-use interval data.

Provide energy use and cost benchmarking — determine the energy use index
(EUI) for all sites included in Expenditure Plans. Benchmarking results must
include total energy use/sq ft/year (e.g. kBtu/sq ft/yr).

Perform a comprehensive cost/benefit analysis — comply with Proposition 39
guidelines, Firm must compute the savings to investment ratio (SIR) for all
projects and expenditure plan(s).

Develop Energy Expenditure Plan — it is the District’s intent to quantify all EEM’s
into a single Energy Expenditure Plan to be submitted to the CEC. The Firm will
compile gathered information into the required application, consisting of:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

A description of the proposed energy efficiency projects and the buildings
or facilities that will be affected by these projects
A description of the existing energy-using equipment (that is, type, age of
equipment, size, number of units, and so forth), with backup
documentation
Current energy usage
Energy savings estimates from the online calculator tool
A proposed budget detailing all project costs
A proposed schedule for implementation of the projects
Job Creation Benefits estimate; plus
Additional requests for Energy Training and/or Energy Manager services
or staff
Assist with ongoing Proposition 39 compliance — support RVCS in its ongoing
reporting activities to demonstrate compliance with the funding requirements.
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
Work with RVCS maintenance and operations staff to:
o
Assist in reviewing other sources of project financing and funding sources
including, but not limited to, rebates, incentives, grants and loans to help
maximize Proposition 39 funds, while remaining compliant with the
Proposition 39 guidelines.
o
Pre-approve final project measures, costs and subcontractors utilized.
Project Implementation Support

The Firm will implement an agreed upon scope of work. All proposed EEM’s
must be provided on a turn-key basis including all necessary permits,
engineering, Division of the State Architect (DSA) requirements, delivery,
installation, commissioning, training, warranty service and CEC compliance.

Act as “owner’s representative” — the Firm shall act as District liaison to subcontractors, utilities and all other involved parties during construction of the
project, provide general construction oversight and management and escalate
issues to appropriate RVCS staff.
Post-Project and Ongoing Energy Support Services

Assist with Proposition 39 post-project reporting requirements — support RVCS
in providing M&V services to monitor post-retrofit utility usage and track energy
savings. M&V services are to be provided in accordance with CEC Proposition
39 guidelines for project tracking and reporting requirements for a period of not
less than one (1) year after Notice of Completion has been filed.

Work with sub-contractor(s) and manufacturers to address performance or
warranty issues — as necessary, Firm will act as an “owner’s representative” to
address any problems with equipment or installation performance, or equipment
warranty concerns.

Reconcile actual energy project performance against initial projections —
examine utility bills on a monthly basis to assess energy consumption against
projections based upon the Proposition 39 Expenditure Plan. The Firm will also
re-benchmark facilities as utility bill data becomes available, to assess whether
facilities shift in their ranking.

Ongoing project cost analysis and optimization — provide utility rate analysis to
maximize project savings (at end of first year) and conduct a retro-active costsavings analysis for any projects completed under a Proposition 39 Expenditure
Plan.

O&M recommendations and training — following project completion, the Firm will
compile energy data, District guidelines and a list of specific O&M (i.e., “low to
no-cost” savings options) recommendations in a short report.
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Section VI
Request For Qualifications and Project Timeline
All questions regarding this RFQ shall be directed to Brooke Faigin, Principal:
[email protected].
To provide Firms clarification of information contained within this RFQ the District will be
conducting a pre-submittal meeting on April 6, 2017 at the RVCS Main Office, located at
9707 ½ Marilla Drive, Lakeside, CA 92040 at 4:00 p.m. Attendance is mandatory for
qualification.
The District may require interviews with our evaluation team. Firms will be notified of
date if this is required.
PROPOSED TIMELINE
March 30, 2017 - RFQ Released
April 6, 2017 at 4:00pm, PST– Mandatory Pre-Submittal Meeting
April 11, 2017 at 5:00pm, PST - Questions Due
April 25, 2017 at 2:00pm, PST - RFQ Responses Due
Section VII
Evaluation and Award
The District shall be the sole judge of the qualifications and services to be offered and its
decision shall be final. Respondents who are not actively engaged in providing services
of the nature proposed in their response to the RFQ and/or who cannot clearly
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the District their ability to satisfactorily perform the
work in accordance with the RFQ requirements, will not be considered. Other agencies
that may choose to “piggy back” on this RFP selection may be conditioned on their
Governing Board’s approval.
The method used for evaluating and awarding the RFQ will involve a three (3) step
process:
Step 1: The selection committee will review proposals that are submitted on time.
During this time the selection committee will use the Forced Ranking method to
rank vendors based on scoring criteria. Committee members will be instructed to
rank the best value to the District as #1, the second best #2 and so on. The
selection committee will determine the number of vendors that will be invited to
step 2, however, at no time will a vendor who is ranked higher be left out of this
process if a lower ranked vendor is included.
Step 2: The top ranked compliant vendors may be given the opportunity to
present their proposals in person to the selection committee. After vendor
interviews, the selection committee will again use the Forced Ranking method to
rank vendors.
Step 3: After completing step 2, the District may open negotiations with the
apparent best value vendor. If a mutually acceptable agreement cannot be
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reached, then negotiations with that vendor will be formally closed and
negotiations will be opened with the next best value vendor, and so on until an
agreement can be reached.
Weight/Scoring Criteria
1. Firms Background and qualifications – 15 points
2. Institutional Experience – 15 points
3. Engineering and Project Management experience – 10 points
4. Design Build Project Approach – 15 points
5. Project Management Approach – 15 points
6. Ability to self-perform – 10 points
7. Cost structure and transparency – 15 points
8. US Department of Energy Qualified or NAESCO Accredited – 5 points
Total Points Possible: 100 Points
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