Medium Voltage, Solar, and Battery Design & Assessment Services

The University of California, Irvine is soliciting qualified electrical design professionals to provide comprehensive design and assessment services for its 12-kV medium voltage system, with a primary focus on evaluating the feasibility of expanding existing solar photovoltaic arrays and installing new battery storage systems. The work demands a deep analytical approach centered on return-on-investment modeling, feasibility studies, and system integration, requiring the consultant to conduct detailed system analysis, programming, cost estimating, and pre-schematic design, with the potential to deliver full design services or peer review for future deployments. Services include assessing physical and regulatory constraints, coordinating with technology vendors, and developing design documentation for on-site solar installations, battery systems, and corresponding 12-kV distribution upgrades. The consultant must align all work with UCI Campus Standards, UCI Master Specifications, California Title 24 energy compliance requirements, and Fire Marshal directives, ensuring multidisciplinary coordination among architectural, mechanical, and electrical systems while producing deliverables such as updated single-line diagrams, power and lighting plans, HVAC and plumbing riser diagrams, sequences of operations, and CSI-formatted outline specifications. The solicitation, identified by number 20260722049 and posted on July 23, 2026, with a response deadline of August 28, 2026, is structured under a trade-off selection methodology prioritizing technical merit over lowest price. Evaluation is weighted heavily toward Project Experience at 35 points, followed by Firm Qualifications and Electrical Design Services at 30 points, and Project Team, Staffing, and Deliverables at 30 points, with five points allocated for Client References. Mandatory compliance is required for Litigation History, Insurance, and Equal Opportunity Statement, with failure in any of these resulting in disqualification. Offerors must submit nine tabbed attachments including a Consultant Profile, Litigation History Forms, Certificate of Insurance, and Confirmation of Certification Form, with strict page limits on submissions and clear labeling requirements for all documents. The contract requires a Superintendent to be present on-site at all times, prohibits substitution of key personnel without approval, and imposes full liability on the contractor for hazardous materials introduced during work. While the contract does not specify a fixed value or line-item pricing, it references potential project scales up to $5 million and includes provisions for suspension of work up to 90 days, beneficial occupancy before final completion, and adjustment through formal Change Orders. Performance is site-based in Irvine, California, with final acceptance occurring on