Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes awarding a non-competitive service contract with RENEW Wisconsin, Inc. to administer the three annual MadiSUN solar programs in 2020 at a total cost of $125,400. Sufficient budget authority for the proposed contract is available in the Sustainability Program within the Engineering-Facilities capital budget. No additional City appropriation is required.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a service contract with RENEW Wisconsin, Inc. to administer the three annual MadiSUN solar programs for residential, business and a Backyard solar installations, through 2022.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Madison has been a Solar America City since 2007, a SolSmart Gold Community since 2016, and is committed to promoting solar technology adoption at the local level; and,
WHEREAS, in March of 2017, the Common Council adopted RES-17-00213 which called on the City to establish a goal for City of Madison operations and community to reach a goal of 100% renewable energy and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions; and, WHEREAS, the City has invested in the MadiSUN programs since 2016 to make it easier and more affordable to install solar energy; and,
WHEREAS, the City has contracted with RENEW Wisconsin to administer MadiSUN since 2016; and,
WHEREAS, MadiSUN is comprised of the following programs:
1. Residential Group Buy program which offers homeowners a negotiated price for solar, a vetted solar installer, as well as, education, guidance and technical support throughout the process. Initiated in 2016, the program has enabled 139 households to install 700 kilowatts of solar energy, investing approximately $1.89 million into the local clean energy economy.
2. Business Rebate, which encourages businesses to install solar by offering pool of $30,000 of solar rebates for local businesses. Since 2018, the Business Rebate has helped 11 businesses install 476 kilowatts of solar energy, investing approximately $688,000 into the local economy.
3. The Backyard Solar Grant provides funds to nonprofit organizations and affordable housing developments to address inequitable access to solar energy. Since the program launch in 2019, grants have been awarded to install 245 kilowatts of solar at three multi-family affordable housing facilities; and,
WHEREAS, these programs are administered on an annual basis and the City wishes to continue the contractual relationship with RENEW to administer these programs for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 calendar years, and wishes to make a multi-year contract to allow for more seamless administration of each year’s program; and,
WHEREAS, for 2020, RENEW has proposed a total contract price of $125,400.00 which includes funding for all three programs and includes, based on the program, grants and rebates to purchase and install solar panel equipment, to performing various services to obtain better pricing on solar equipment for program participants, educating and recruiting participants and related administrative services and it is expected that funding for future years’ work under this contract will be similar; and,
WHEREAS, under MGO 4.26(4) a contract for purchase of services of more than $50,000 that was not competitively selected must be approved by the Common Council and, for the reasons given in the attached Noncompetitive Selection Form, this contract meets the exception in MGO 4.26(4)(a) 2. & 7. for a particular consultant who has provided services to the City on a similar or continuing project in the recent past. It would be economical to the City on the basis of time and money to retain the same consultant, and the service is available from only one firm; and,
WHEREAS, RENEW pays out some of the funding to participants after completion of the solar installations and due to the timing of construction projects and solar installations, this may be after the end of the calendar year. For City budget purposes it is preferable for the City to pay RENEW during the budget year for which the funds are approved. A multi-year contract keeps RENEW in a contractual relationship with the City past the end of the calendar year, while the terms of the Contract will provide a schedule of payment that complies with the City’s required budgeting and accounting practices,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign a service contract with RENEW Wisconsin, Inc. for the purposes and at the price set forth above, for three budget years, subject to funding being appropriated as needed for 2021 and 2022. The contract will have an end date of December 31, 2023 to allow for funds to be distributed for any solar projects from the previous contract years that are not completed within the first three years of the contract.