Design-Build Services for Solar and Energy Storage Installations at Category 1 City-Owned Properties

The City of Pasadena (“City”), through Pasadena Water and Power (“PWP”), is issuing this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to solicit proposals from qualified firms to provide Design-Build services by a Design-Build Contractor (“Design-Builder,” “D-B,” “Contractor,” or “Proposer”) for the design, procurement, construction, installation, interconnection, commissioning, and, if authorized by the City, operations and maintenance of solar and energy storage installations at Category 1 City-owned properties (the “Project”).

The Project includes Category 1 priority sites identified in this RFP that are intended to support near-term implementation and completion by June 2028. Solar is desired at all sites, and energy storage is highly desired where feasible based on site-specific conditions, technical constraints, cost, and City direction. The site capacities identified in this RFP are estimated and are provided for planning and proposal purposes only. Final system size, configuration, and inclusion of energy storage will be determined based on site-specific evaluation, design development, feasibility, cost, and City direction.

The Scope of Work includes site evaluation and feasibility assessment, engineering and design, permitting, procurement of equipment and materials, construction, installation, interconnection, commissioning, stakeholder engagement support, and ongoing operations and maintenance of the selected improvements, as applicable to the awarded contract. The Scope of Work also requires the selected Proposer to evaluate existing electrical infrastructure and account for future electric vehicle (“EV”) charging expansion as part of the site evaluation and design approach, including where EV-related load assumptions may affect equipment sizing, panel capacity, and related system components.

The City reserves the right to award one contract, multiple contracts, by individual site, by combination of sites, or in whole, as determined to be in the best interest of the City. Proposers may submit proposals for any individual site or any combination of Category 1 sites identified in this RFP. Proposers will be evaluated only for the sites included in their proposals. The City also reserves the right to remove one or more sites from the awarded scope or otherwise modify the awarded scope based on feasibility, cost, funding, schedule, City priorities, or other considerations identified during the Project.

A Selection Committee shall review the Proposals received and complete final scoring based on the City’s Design and Performance Criteria for the Project and the evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, pursuant to Pasadena Municipal Code (“P.M.C.”) section 4.08.047, competitive selection, using the Design-Build alternative project delivery method. Proposers recommended for award will be evaluated and determined on a best-value basis, based on qualifications, organization/team composition, technical proposal, financial strength, safety record, local business, small business, price proposal, and, if applicable, interview scores.

On January 30, 2023, the Pasadena City Council adopted Resolution 9977, establishing a goal for Pasadena Water and Power (“PWP”) to source 100% of Pasadena’s electricity from carbon-free resources by the end of 2030, while optimizing affordability, rate equity, system stability, and reliability. In furtherance of that goal, on December 15, 2025, the City Council unanimously approved PWP’s Optimized Strategic Plan (“OSP”), a forward-thinking framework outlining the pathways, investments, and decision points that will position Pasadena to achieve a carbon-free future.

A key component of the OSP is the expansion of locally sited renewable generation and energy storage resources within Pasadena. This approach is intended to reduce long-term costs, maximize the use of public assets, and equitably distribute the benefits of carbon-free energy across all customer classes. Locally developed solar resources also reduce reliance on external energy markets and enhance grid resilience by generating electricity closer to where it is consumed.

To support implementation of the OSP, PWP has coordinated with City departments to identify City-owned properties that may be suitable for future solar and energy storage development. This RFP is limited to Category 1 priority sites that are more advanced in project development and better positioned to support near-term implementation. These sites are intended to support completion by June 2028.

The City reserves the right to award one contract, multiple contracts, by individual site, by combination of sites, or in whole, depending on the proposals received and the City’s evaluation of project delivery, cost, schedule, and overall fit for the program, in its sole discretion.