Solar Companies – How 1BOG selects its Solar Installation Partners

Every time we launch a solar energy group purchase campaign in a city, we go through a formal Request For Proposal (RFP) process. This takes about a month.

First we identify and do a basic vetting of the top solar installation companies in the area. For example, in California we find these solar companies by looking at the California Solar Initiative data and find the top ten companies, volume-wise, in the area. Outside of California, we talk to affiliated non-profits, check sites with databases of solar companies, and talk to the solar installers themselves.

When we have our list of eligible companies, we send them our RFP invitation.  We provide some basic data about our group in the area. The solar companies who choose to participate (typically the vast majority of those invited) receive our RFP and devise their response.

Our RFP for Solar Companies includes the following:

• Introduction – Details about the member group and 1BOG’s process, and 1BOG’s planned marketing strategies for the campaign.
• Expected Timeline – A timeline for the 1BOG city program and for the RFP response process itself. It outlines when their questions are due, when our responses are due, etc.

Then the response section includes:

• Executive Summary - One page summary about the solar company’s response.
• Company Background – An extremely detailed view of the solar company. Its history and makeup, processes, contractor and bonding details, financial history, employee breakdown, sales and installation volume, employee types (contractor, employee), whether business is ever subcontracted and if so what parts, etc.
• Product Information – Details about the products the solar company proposes to use as part of the program.  Panels, inverters, mounting equipment, sealant, etc, as well as spec sheets and product warranties.
• Installation – Details about the companies installation practices on different types of roofs, and installation guarantees and warranties.
• Sales Process – How does the company plan to integrate with our program and what resources will they devote to it?  We want to make sure our members are treated with the same caliber of service that all their other customers are, and that we can fluidly schedule site evaluations for 1BOG participants, and that the timelines for delivering proposals and completing installations are in line.
• Ability to handle large orders – Info about the team, procurement, and subcontracting. Our members should be installed with the same methods and personnel that made us comfortable with this particular solar company in the first place.
• Monitoring – Information about Solar Energy monitoring and what they have to offer.
• Financing and Rebates – Information about the financing and partnerships that the solar company has, as well as the processes for filing rebates for our members.
• Pricing - The solar installer provides a pricing structure and areas of coverage that the pricing is good for and an adder list for the group that is a discount from their normal installation costs.  All pricing must be set in stone and in STC DC watts for us to compare it.

See our about page for more information: 1BOG’s Group Solar Discounts.