Miami University has recently signed Second Nature's Climate Commitment within the President's Climate Leadership Commitment (PCLC). Upon signing this commitment, Miami University's President established the Climate Action Task Force, which has two co-chairs and fifteen campus stakeholders. As part of the University's path towards carbon neutrality, and in effort to secure solar energy generation at a time the market conditions yield a favorable return on investment, the University is soliciting qualifications from qualified consulting firms to prepare a solar energy generation study. The results of the solar generation study shall stand alone as a path towards effective solar energy generation on Miami University's campus. The University desires to have an actionable solar energy plan that is both technically and financially feasible. Upon completion of the solar energy generation study, the University desires to be able to quickly turn the outcome of the study into a properly engineered design and shovel-ready project that can be conducted quickly if found the timing is favorable The solar energy generation field will be located on the Miami University Oxford campus OR on the Miami University Hamilton campus. The desire is for the solar energy production to tie directly into the campus power grid. The Oxford campus currently owns (2) 20 MW electric substations. Power from the utility provider is purchased from the utility provider at this substation level and distribution beyond those points are by University owned and operated electrical infrastructure. The Hamilton campus is set up as a retail service; however, the demand charges are high and have been identified as an area to potentially drive a favorable ROI Concurrent to this study, the University is conducting a net zero carbon energy systems study; the scope of the net zero carbon energy systems study is outside of the scope of this study. The results of the solar generation study may become a supplement to the net zero carbon energy systems study. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is for an Engineering Firm specializing in or with very broad experience with Solar Energy Generation. The project will require the successful engineering firm to display experience and excellence in Solar Energy Generation, both in solar arrays, electrical infrastructure and energy storage. In addition, expertise in electrical energy modeling and Life Cycle Cost Analysis are important attributes to properly sizing and assessing the best course of action for the University. Provide evaluation of project site locations to determine best site location taking into consideration sunlight, proximity to campus switch houses, flood plains and future developments such as a geothermal well field and parking. Currently the University is considering locations near Freyman Field / Parking Lot, Ditmer Parking Lot, or DeWitt Cabin Greenspace on the Oxford campus or a brownfield on the Hamilton regional campus. The study shall address any constraints of locating a geothermal well field underneath a solar field. Total Project Cost $15,000 to $20,000 Est. Planning Services Start 02 / 2021 Planning Services Completed 04 / 2021 Project Manager - Tim LaGrange Submit all questions regarding this RFQ in writing to Tim LaGrange at lagrant@miamioh.edu with the project number included in the subject line Questions will be answered and posted to the Opportunities page on the OFCC Portal.
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