Source: https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/2016-renewable-energy-resources-section/
Timestamp: 2020-05-30 21:54:21
Document Index: 473779762

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1']

2016 Renewable Energy Resources RFP and Distributed Generation RFP (AIC, ComEd, and MEC) | Illinois Power Agency RFPs
2016 Renewable Energy Resources RFP and Distributed Generation RFP (AIC, ComEd, and MEC)
On September 28, 2015, the IPA submitted its Procurement Plan (“Plan”) to the Illinois Commerce Commission (“ICC”) in compliance with Public Act 095-0481 (the “Act”), which includes the Illinois Power Agency Act (“IPA Act”). The ICC issued its Order with regards to the Plan on December 16, 2015. The Plan approved by the ICC provides for: (i) a Spring 2016 procurement for AIC and ComEd of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (“SRECs”) and for MidAmerican of Renewable Energy Credits (“RECs”) from all renewable sources using the renewable resources budget; (ii) an early Summer 2016 procurement of Renewable Energy Credits (“RECs”) from distributed generation (“DG”) resources using the already collected funds from Alternative Compliance Payments for AIC and ComEd and using the renewable resources budget for MidAmerican.
IPA Spring 2016 DG RFP Calendar (April 29, 2016)
IPA Spring 2016 REC RFP Calendar (February 2, 2016)
Announcements – Spring 2016 REC and DG RFPs
You may register to receive announcements for the Renewable Energy Resources RFP and the Utility Distributed Generation RFP through the Register Page and selecting the “Renewable Energy Resources” or “Utility Distributed Generation” option.
Click here to view Renewable Energy Resources FAQs.
Click here to view Utility Distributed Generation FAQs.
Utility Distributed Generation RFP Results
Spring 2016 Distributed Generation RFP Results (June 29, 2016)
ICC Public Notice of Spring 2015 Distributed Generation RFP Results (June 29, 2016)
Renewable Energy Resources RFP Results
Spring 2016 Renewable Energy Resources RFP Results (May 10, 2016)
ICC Public Notice of Spring 2016 Renewable Energy Resources RFP Results (May 10, 2016)
Spring 2016 Utility DG RFP
Spring 2016 Utility DG Bidder Information Webcast
IPA DG Bidder Information Webcast Presentation (May 20, 2016)
IPA DG Bidder Information Webcast Recording (May 20, 2016)
Spring 2016 Distributed Generation FINAL RFP Documents
DG RFP Rules (May 19, 2016)
Appendix 1: (AIC) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (see below)
Appendix 2: ComEd Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement (see below)
Appendix 3: (MidAmerican) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (see below)
Appendix 4: Part 1 Form (Illustrative) (May 19, 2016)
P1 DG Form Inserts (May 19, 2016)
Appendix 5: Sample Documents (May 19, 2016)
Appendix 6: Part 2 Form (Illustrative) (May 19, 2016)
P2 DG Form Inserts (May 19, 2016)
Appendix 7: Trial Bid Form (May 19, 2016)
Appendix 8: Evaluation Process (May 19, 2016)
Appendix 9: Standard IPA Letter of Credit (May 19, 2016)
Acceptable Modifications to the IPA LC (June 6, 2016)
Appendix 10: Confidentiality Statement (May 19, 2016)
Spring 2016 Distributed Generation DRAFT RFP Documents
DG RFP Rules (DRAFT) (May 3, 2016)
Appendix 5: Sample Documents (DRAFT) (May 3, 2016)
Appendix 9: Standard IPA Letter of Credit (DRAFT) (May 3, 2016)
Sample Identification Worksheet Insert #P1-2 (DRAFT) (May 3, 2016)
Spring 2016 Distributed Generation Comment Process
Invitation to Comment (April 20, 2016)
Spring 2016 (AIC) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Final (AIC) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Ameren DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (May 18, 2016)
Form of Guaranty (May 18, 2016)
Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit - Option 1 (May 18, 2016)
Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit - Option 2 (May 18, 2016)
Letter of Full Transfer - Schedule 1 (May 18, 2016)
Letter of Full Transfer - Schedule 2 (May 18, 2016)
Letter of Full Transfer - Schedule 3 (May 18, 2016)
Draft (AIC) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Ameren DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (April 20, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Ameren DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (April 20, 2016)
REDLINE (2016 draft vs. 2016 final) Ameren DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (May 18, 2016)
Spring 2016 ComEd Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement
Final ComEd Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement
ComEd Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement (without Coversheet) (May 18, 2016)
Coversheet of DG REC Master Purchase and Sale Agreement (with amendments to the Master DG REC Master Purchase and Sale Agreement) (May 18, 2016)
Collateral Annex and Original Schedule 1 (May 18, 2016)
Schedule 1A to the Collateral Annex (Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit) - Option 1 (May 18, 2016)
Schedule 1A to the Collateral Annex (Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit) - Option 2 (May 18, 2016)
Exhibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter of Full Transfer) - Option 1 (May 18, 2016)
Exhibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter of Full Transfer) - Option 2 (May 18, 2016)
Exhibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter of Full Transfer) - Option 3 (May 18, 2016)
Collateral Annex Paragraph 10 (with elections) (May 18, 2016)
Schedule 2 to the Collateral Annex (Guaranty) (May 18, 2016)
Optional Changes to the Form of Guaranty (May 18, 2016)
Schedule 2B to Collateral Annex (Foreign Guarantor Requirements) (May 18, 2016)
Confirmation Sheet - Sample (May 18, 2016)
Draft ComEd Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement
ComEd Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement (without Coversheet) (April 20, 2016)
Coversheet of Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement (with amendments to the Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement) (April 20, 2016)
Collateral Annex and Original Schedule 1 (April 20, 2016)
Schedule 1A to the Collateral Annex (Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit) - Option 1 (April 20, 2016)
Schedule 1A to the Collateral Annex (Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit) - Option 2 (April 20, 2016)
Exhibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter of Full Transfer) - Option 1 (April 20, 2016)
Exhibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter of Full Transfer) - Option 2 (April 20, 2016)
Exhibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter of Full Transfer) - Option 3 (April 20, 2016)
Collateral Annex Paragraph 10 (with elections) (April 20, 2016)
Schedule 2 to the Collateral Annex (Guaranty) (April 20, 2016)
Optional Changes to the Form of Guaranty (April 20, 2016)
Schedule 2B to the Collateral Annex (Foreign Guarantor Requirements) (April 20, 2016)
Confirmation Sheet - Sample (April 20, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Coversheet of Master DG REC Purchase and Sale Agreement (April 20, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Schedule 1A to the Collateral Annex (Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit) - Option 2 (April 20, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Extibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter of Full Transfer) - Option 3 (April 20, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Confirmation Sheet - Sample (April 20, 2016)
Spring 2016 (MidAmerican) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Final (MidAmerican) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
MidAmerican DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (May 18, 2016)
Draft (MidAmerican) DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
MidAmerican DG Renewable Energy Credit Agreement (April 20, 2016)
Spring 2016 REC RFP
Spring 2016 Renewable Energy Resources RFP Documents (FINAL)
2016 REC RFP Rules (March 28, 2016)
Appendix 1: (AIC) REC Agreement (see below)
Appendix 2: ComEd REC Master Agreement (see below)
Appendix 3: (MidAmerican) REC Agreement (see below)
P1 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders On AIC (March 28, 2016)
P1 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders On ComEd (March 28, 2016)
P1 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders On MidAmerican (March 28, 2016)
P1 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders With Special Circumstances (March 28, 2016)
P2 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders On AIC (March 28, 2016)
P2 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders On ComEd (March 28, 2016)
P2 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders On MidAmerican (March 28, 2016)
P2 REC Form: Inserts For Bidders With Special Circumstances (March 28, 2016)
Appendix 6: Illustrative REC Bid Form (March 28, 2016)
Appendix 7: Resource Selection (March 28, 2016)
Acceptable Modifications to the Standard Pre-Bid Letter of Credit for AIC (April 19, 2016)
Acceptable Modifications to the Standard Pre-Bid Letter of Credit for ComEd (April 19, 2016)
Acceptable Modifications to the Standard Pre-Bid Letter of Credit for MidAmerican (April 19, 2016)
Spring 2016 Renewable Energy Resources DRAFT RFP Documents
Spring 2016 Renewable Energy Resources Comment Process
Spring 2016 (AIC) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Final (AIC) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Ameren Master REC Purchase & Sales Agreement (March 25, 2016)
Draft (AIC) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Ameren Master REC Purchase & Sales Agreement (March 4, 2016)
Redline Comparisons: Spring 2016 Draft vs. Fall 2015 Final
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Ameren Master REC Purchase & Sales Agreement (March 4, 2016)
Spring 2016 ComEd Master Renewable Energy Certificate Purchase and Sale Agreement
Final ComEd Master Renewable Energy Certificate Purchase and Sales Agreement
ComEd Master REC Purchase and Sales Agreement (without Coversheet) (March 25, 2016)
Coversheet of REC Master Agreement (with amendments to REC Master Agreement) (March 25, 2016)
Draft ComEd Master Renewable Energy Certificate Purchase and Sale Agreement
ComEd Master REC Purchase and Sale Agreement (without Coversheet) (March 4, 2016)
Coversheet of REC Master Agreement (with amendments to REC Master Agreement) (March 4, 2016)
Confirmation Sheet - Sample (March 4, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Coversheet of REC Master Agreement (March 4, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 draft vs. 2016 final) Schedule 1A to the Collateral Annex (Post-Bid Standard Form of Letter of Credit) - Option 2 (March 4, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Exhibit A of Schedule 1A to Collateral Annex (Letter Of Full Transfer) - Option 3 (March 4, 2016)
REDLINE (2015 final vs. 2016 draft) Confirmation Sheet - Sample (March 4, 2016)
REDLINE (2016 draft vs. 2016 final) Coversheet of REC Master Agreement (March 25, 2016)
Spring 2016 (MidAmerican) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
Final (MidAmerican) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
MidAmerican Master REC Purchase & Sales Agreement (March 25, 2016)
Draft (MidAmerican) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement
MidAmerican Master REC Purchase & Sales Agreement (March 4, 2016)
REDLINE (AIC 2015 final vs. MidAmerican draft) REC Agreement (March 11, 2016)
REDLINE (AIC 2016 draft vs. MidAmerican draft) REC Agreement (March 11, 2016)
REDLINE (2016 draft vs. 2016 final) REC Agreement (March 25, 2016)
2016 Renewable Energy Resources FAQs
FAQ-REC-12
Q: When does a Company return the Pre-Bid Letter of Credit for its procurement event back to the issuing bank?
In the Part 2 Proposal, a Bidder was able to provide special instructions for the return of the Pre-Bid Letter of Credit for a Company. If a Bidder chose not to provide special return instructions then the Pre-Bid Letter of Credit will expire on the date stated as a part of its terms (which was required to be no earlier than fourteen (14) business days after the expected Commission decision).
FAQ-REC-11
Q: How do I access the training webinar on the bid submission procedure?
All Bidders that have a successful Part 1 Proposal received an invitation with their Part 1 Notification and received announcements regarding this training session.
FAQ-REC-10
Q: What happens to a bidder that signs a contract to AIC and that fails to deliver a quantity of RECs in excess of the Minimum Delivery Requirement?
It is the responsibility of each bidder to review the terms of the applicable supplier contracts (for each of AIC, ComEd and MidAmerican) posted to the Renewable Energy Resources Section of the procurement website. Each bidder accepts these terms as a condition of its participation in the REC RFP. In particular, please review Exhibit C of Final (AIC) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement and the corresponding provisions in the Final ComEd Master Renewable Energy Certificate Purchase and Sale Agreement and (MidAmerican) Renewable Energy Credit Agreement for the Minimum Delivery Schedule Requirements. In general, a bidder that fails to deliver a quantity of RECs in excess of the Minimum Delivery Requirement for which the bidder gas signed a contract may forfeit the performance assurance provided to support those RECs.
FAQ-REC-9
Q: Where are the final Budgets and final Targets for the REC RFP posted on the procurement website? May I suggest that this information be provided in a standalone document for bidders?
While the Targets in the RFP Rules were provisional and were subject to change, the final REC targets for the Spring 2016 Procurement Events have not changed and are identical to those included in the RFP Rules. The final REC Targets are:
Ameren Illinois Company – 33,271 (Photovoltaics resources)
Commonwealth Edison Company- 67,952 (Photovoltaics resources)
MidAmerican Energy Company – 65,104 (All eligible renewable energy resources excluding distributed generation devices)
The Procurement Administrator issued an announcement regarding the Final Targets on April 2, 2016. The announcement is posted here:
https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/2016/04/20/rec-rfp-announcement-final-rec-targets/
The Procurement Administrator issued an announcement regarding the Final Budgets on April 21, 2016. The announcement is posted here:
https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/2016/04/21/rec-rfp-announcement-final-rec-budgets-2/
Thank you for your suggestion of a document providing the Targets and Budgets for posting to the procurement website. We will post a document as soon as practicable.
FAQ-REC-8
Q: Do you require hard copies of the Inserts for purposes of our Proposal to be mailed to you?
No. All Inserts should be provided either by email to the Procurement Administrator at Illinois-RFP@nera.com or by upload to the Part 1 Form or Part 2 Form (as appropriate).
FAQ-REC-7
FAQ-REC-6
FAQ-REC-5
FAQ-REC-4
Q: Can you please clarify the invoicing process under the MidAmerican REC contract? When do I get paid if I deliver my RECs and invoice on June 15, 2016? How about if I deliver my RECs and invoice on November 15, 2016?
As stated in Section 2.2, you may only submit one invoice for each Delivery Period. You will be required to invoice on or before the 10th day of the month of September, December and March and on or before the 20th day of July. All invoices are payable not later than the last Business Day of the month that follows the end of the prior Delivery Season.
If you deliver RECs in the period June 1, 2016 through August 31, 2016, then you are expected to submit your invoice no later than September 10, 2016, and the invoice becomes payable on September 30, 2016. In your first example, if you deliver all your RECs for the first Delivery Season on June 15, 2016 and submit a corresponding invoice on the same date, then Buyer is expected to pay you by September 30, 2016. In your second example, if you deliver all your RECs on November 15, 2016 for that Delivery Season and submit a corresponding invoice on the same date, then Buyer is expected to pay you by December 31, 2016.
FAQ-REC-3
Q: I am considering bidding RECs from solar systems energized prior to January 1, 2015 into the IPA’s procurement events. What are my options? As an aggregator, will I be the counterparty under the contract or will the counterparty be the system owner?
There are various procurement events as approved in the IPA’s procurement plans through which Solar Renewable Energy Credits (“SRECs”) are sold and purchased. These include Supplemental Photovoltaic RFP (“SPV RFP”), the Utility Distributed Generation RFP (“DG RFP”) and the Renewable Energy Resources RFP (“REC RFP”).
To be eligible to be presented as part of the Proposal in the Supplemental Photovoltaic RFP (“SPV RFP”), a system must be “new”, which means that it must have been energized (turned on for a period of 24 consecutive hours) on or after January 21, 2015. If the systems that you are considering presenting as part of your Proposal were energized prior to this date, then this Proposal cannot be presented under the SPV RFP.
Systems energized prior to January 21, 2015 may be presented in a Proposal presented under the DG RFP. However, we note that under the DG RFP a bidder must present systems that together are at least 1 MW and the bidder (an aggregator) must be the signatory of the contract with the utility for any winning systems.
There are various criteria for participation in the Renewable Energy Resources RFP (“REC RFP”). You may see these criteria from last year’s RFP here: https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/2015-renewable-energy-resources-section/. These include agreeing to the terms of the applicable supplier contracts with the utilities and the submission of a letter of credit to support the bids. The REC RFP is strictly for the sale and purchase of RECs and does not involve presenting particular systems as part of the Proposal. The bidder is the single signatory of the contract with the utility.
FAQ-REC-2
Q: Does the IPA purchase RECs from a solar photovoltaic system located outside of Illinois?
There are various procurement events where Solar Renewable Energy Credits (“SRECs”) could be purchased. Only systems located in Illinois are eligible to be presented in a Proposal in the Supplemental Photovoltaic RFP (“SPV RFP”) or in the Utility Distributed Generation RFP (“DG RFP”). The Renewable Energy Resources RFP (“REC RFP”) includes the possibility of purchase of SRECs from outside of Illinois. Please see the schedule for this procurement event on the Calendar page: https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/calendar/.
FAQ-REC-1
Q: Can a homeowner self-install a solar system and become qualified to sell SRECs to the IPA? All electrical permits will be satisfied and the system will be registered with an Illinois utility for net metering.
We cannot respond to this question generally and we can only address whether self-installation or the size of a residential system could preclude you from selling SRECs in the procurement events under the procurement plans of the Illinois Power Agency (“IPA”).
There are various procurement events as approved in the IPA’s procurement plans through which Solar Renewable Energy Credits (“SRECs”) are sold and purchased. To be eligible to be presented as part of the Proposal in the Supplemental Photovoltaic RFP (“SPV RFP”), a system must be “installed” by a “qualified person” as described in and required by Section 1-56(i) of the Illinois Power Agency Act (20 ILCS 3855/1-56(i)). The Act defines a “qualified person” as a person who performs installations of photovoltaics, including, but not limited to, distributed photovoltaic generation, and who:
(A) has completed an apprenticeship as a journeyman electrician from a United States Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship and training program and received a certification of satisfactory completion; or
(B) does not currently meet the criteria under clause (A) of this paragraph (1), but is enrolled in a United States Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship program, provided that the person is directly supervised by a person who meets the criteria of (A) above; or
(C) has obtained one of the following credentials in addition to attesting to satisfactory completion of at least 5 years or 8,000 hours of documented hands-on electrical experience: (i) a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Installer Certificate for Solar PV; (ii) an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) PV Systems Installer Certificate; (iii) an Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETAI) Level 3 PV Installer Certificate; or (iv) an Associate in Applied Science degree from an Illinois Community College Board approved community college program in renewable energy or a distributed generation technology.
In addition, there is a minimum bid of 500 RECs (or approximately 79.39 kW) for the SPV RFP.
While installation by a qualified person is not a requirement under the Utility Distributed Generation RFP (“DG RFP”), a bidder must present systems that together are at least 1 MW.
There are various criteria for participation in the Renewable Energy Resources RFP (“REC RFP”). You may see these criteria from last year’s RFP here: https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/2015-renewable-energy-resources-section/. These include agreeing to the terms of the applicable supplier contracts with the utilities and the submission of a letter of credit to support the bids.
2016 Utility Distributed Generation FAQs
FAQ-DG-38
Q: If my Part 2 Proposal is incomplete, what happens?
Bidders must provide all materials for the Part 2 Proposal by noon on the Part 2 Date and if the Part 2 Proposal is incomplete, the Procurement Administrator will issue a deficiency notice to the Bidder. A Bidder must respond to a deficiency notice issued by the Procurement Administrator by the deadline provided in the notice. The RFP Rules set out the timeframes for Bidders to provide additional information and complete the Part 2 Proposal.
A first deficiency notice from the Procurement Administrator regarding any item of the Part 2 Proposal (excluding Bids and excluding the IPA Letter of Credit) will have a deadline of 12 PM (noon) on the Part 2 Date or 6 PM on the business day following the business day during which a first deficiency notice is sent to the Bidder, whichever comes later. A first deficiency notice that includes deficiencies regarding the IPA Letter of Credit will have a deadline of 12 PM (noon) on the Part 2 Date, or of 6 PM on the second business day following the business day during which a first deficiency notice is sent to the Bidder, whichever comes later. Should there be further deficiencies regarding the information or documentation for the systems presented in the Proposal, in no event will the Bidder be allowed to submit additional information after 12 PM (noon) on the third business day prior to the Bid Date. A Bidder’s Bids can only be evaluated if the Part 2 Proposal (excluding Bids) is complete and fully complies with the requirements of Article V of the RFP Rules, including any requests for additional information from the Procurement Administrator, by 12 PM (noon) on the Bid Date.
FAQ-DG-37
Q: Can I submit cash as bid assurance collateral?
No. Cash is not an acceptable method to post bid assurance collateral for the Utility Distributed Generation Request for Proposals (“DG RFP”). You must provide a letter of credit in the form of the Standard IPA Letter of Credit or incorporating only modifications approved by the IPA as posted to the procurement website and in an amount sufficient to support your bids.
FAQ-DG-36
Q: With credit support due upon contract execution, would it be possible to have the credentials of my Guarantor reviewed ahead of time so that I can be clear on the Collateral Threshold that will be given to my Guarantor?
If you wish, you may provide the details on the Guarantor that you propose to the Procurement Administrator, and we can strive to confirm the guarantor’s eligibility with the utilities in advance of the Bid Date.
Note, however, that if at any point during the contract, the Collateral Threshold falls below 10% of the Remaining Contract Value, then the Company may require assurance of the supplier’s ability to perform any obligation under the Contract. Such assurance may include (i) posting of a Letter of Credit or (ii) posting of cash collateral. The amount would be equal to the positive difference between 10% of the Remaining Contract Value and the Guarantor’s Collateral Threshold, rounded up to the nearest $10,000.
FAQ-DG-35
Q: If I name an entity as Guarantor, who makes the determination of the Guarantor’s Collateral Threshold under the applicable supplier contract? On what basis is that determination made?
If you have a supplier contract with a Company (AIC, ComEd, and/or MidAmerican), and you wish to name a Guarantor, the Guarantor’s Collateral Threshold will be determined by the Company on the basis of the credit ratings for the proposed Guarantor’s as follows:
Credit Rating Collateral Threshold
BBB- or above Baa3 or above BBB- or above $2,500,000
Below BBB- Below Baa3 Below BBB- $0
If the Guarantor is rated by all three rating agencies, then the lower of the two highest ratings will be used; (b) if the two highest ratings are common, such common rating will be used; and (c) if the Guarantor is rated by only two rating agencies, then the lower of the two ratings will be used. Please see each applicable supplier contract for further detail.
FAQ-DG-34
Q: Where can I find the number of RECs that the Procurement Administrator assigns to my systems?
The Annual Volume of RECs for a system can be found in the Trial Bid Form provided with the Part 1 Notification on June 3, 2016. Please go to Section 3 of the First Block tab in the Trial Bid Form to find the Annual Volume of each system that the Procurement Administrator has assigned based on the capacity factor for the particular technology and size of the system.
FAQ-DG-33
Q: How do I calculate the total required amount for the IPA Letter of Credit?
The IPA Letter of Credit must be in an amount of $8 times the number of RECs that the Bidder can win across all systems for the five (5) Delivery Years under the applicable supplier contracts.
For existing systems, you multiply:
the annual volume of RECs for that system (which can be found in the Bid Form provided with the Part 1 Notification);
by $8/REC;
by 5 years (for years 1 through 5 of the delivery term).
For new systems, you:
multiply the annual volume of RECs for that system (which can be found in the Bid Form provided with the Part 1 Notification) by $8/REC and by 4 years (for years 2 through 5 of the delivery term);
to this total, you add the sum of the first year volumes times $8/REC.
For example, if you plan to bid on two 500 kW systems as follows:
System Technology Size (kW) New or Existing? Annual Volume (RECs) First Year Volume1 Collateral Requirement (years 2-5) Collateral Requirement(First Year) Total Collateral Requirement
System 1 Solar 500.00 New 701 100 = 701 x 4 x 8 = $22,432 = 100 x 8 = $800 = 22,432 + 800 = $23,232
System 2 Wind 500.00 Existing 630 630 = 630 x 4 x 8 = $20,160 = 630 x 8 = $5,040 = 20,160 + 5,040 = $25,200
Total Required IPA Letter of Credit Amount: $48,432
1 Please note that the first year volume of RECs for new systems cannot exceed the annual volume of RECs for that system.
FAQ-DG-32
Q: Are payments received from RECs considered taxable income?
Please consult your tax advisor regarding any taxes that may apply to payments for RECs sold as well as any tax credits or allowable expenses that may be available. As a general matter, each Bidder should ascertain that revenue from selling RECs must be reported to taxing authorities.
FAQ-DG-31
Q: What resources are available to bidders to help develop their bids?
Bidders are entirely responsible for the development of their bids. You may consult the results of prior procurement events, including the results of procurement events under the SPV RFP and under the DG RFP.
See the items under “Supplemental Photovoltaic RFP Results” here:
https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/supplemental-pv-procurement-section/
and items under “Renewable Energy Resources RFP Results” here:
https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/renewable-energy-resources-section/
FAQ-DG-30
Q: Are bids subjects to benchmarks to determine whether they are acceptable?
Bids that fail to meet or beat the benchmarks are eliminated from further consideration. Benchmarks used by the Procurement Administrator to evaluate bids may depend on system size and/or technology. The methodology for the setting of benchmarks is confidential. The benchmarks are approved by the Commission.
FAQ-DG-29
Q: Are the payments under the contracts for the Utility DG RFP dependent upon a State of Illinois budget being officially adopted, or an appropriation for the Illinois Power Agency being otherwise approved into law?
No. Purchases under the DG RFP use the already collected funds from Alternative Compliance Payments for AIC and ComEd and using the renewable resources budget for MidAmerican.
FAQ-DG-28
Q: When is the last date that a Bidder can add a system to its Proposal?
You cannot add a system to your Proposal after 12PM on the Part 1 Notification Date.
FAQ-DG-27
Q: We have a system that was previously presented as part of the SPV RFP. At that time, we submitted cash as bid assurance collateral. Can this cash be used to fulfill the requirements of the Part 2 Proposal for that system under the DG RFP?
The DG RFP requires the submission of the IPA Letter of Credit with the Part 2 Proposal. Prior cash submitted under the terms of the SPV RFP cannot be used for purposes of fulfilling the Part 2 Proposal requirements under the DG RFP.
FAQ-DG-26
Q: Can a project be interconnected at a location that does not currently have a metered customer?
With its Part 1 Proposal for the DG RFP, a Bidder is required to certify that the system is located, or will be located when installed, on the customer side of a Customer’s electric meter and the system is, or will be primarily used to offset that customer’s electricity load. This requirement implies that the Customer and the system must be located on the same site (and thus the requirements of the DG RFP are not met by “virtual net metering” or by the resale of electricity from the system to a Customer in a location other than the location of the system).
FAQ-DG-25
Q: Is each system presented as part of the Proposal required to have an existing meter?
With its Part 1 Proposal for the Utility Distributed Generation RFP (“DG RFP”), a Bidder is required to certify that a revenue quality meter has been or will be installed to measure the output of the system, compliant with the determination made by the Illinois Power Agency in its document “Revenue-Quality Metering Accuracy Standard and Acceptable Technologies”.
FAQ-DG-24
Q: Is a system interconnected to the City Water, Light and Power utility in Springfield eligible for participation in the DG RFP? There is no requirement that a system located in one utility/Company’s territory be sold to that Company, correct?
Under the Utility Distributed Generation (“DG”) RFP, systems must be interconnected to AIC, ComEd, MidAmerican, Mount Carmel, a municipal utility in Illinois, or a rural electric cooperative in Illinois. A system interconnected to City Water, Light and Power utility located in Springfield would be eligible for the DG RFP.
You are correct that there is no requirement that the RECs produced by a system in a given utility’s territory be sold to that particular utility. The Procurement Administrator will assign the winning Bids to each utility/Company using as a guide each Company’s Target and Budget. Such allocation aims to minimize the number of winning Bidders that have contracts with more than one Company.
FAQ-DG-23
Q: If the scope of a project changes slightly due to the utility company restrictions, what is the consequence under the applicable supplier contracts?
Under the applicable supplier contracts, the Seller must provide at least 80% of the RECs contracted for a Size Class for a given Delivery Year (or, if there are less than 10% of the RECs under contract from a given Size Class or if the Delivery Year Quantity for both Size Classes for a Delivery Year is less than 100 RECs, at least 80% of the aggregate quantity across both Products must be delivered). Failure to meet this requirement is considered a default under the terms of the applicable supplier contracts.
Importantly, the 80% requirement is not imposed on each system separately. Rather, the requirement is imposed on all the systems of a certain Size Class under the applicable supplier contract. The number of RECs to be delivered cannot be modified once the applicable supplier contract is signed. That quantity is calculated using the capacity factors specified in the RFP, namely: 14.38% for solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells and panels; 11% for Small Size Class wind; 16% for Large Size Class wind; 31.06% for hydropower that does not involve new constructions or significant expansion of hydropower dams; and 47.74% for biodiesel, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, and tree waste. The quantity to be delivered in the first Delivery Year for a new system may be specified by the Bidder to be less than the quantity calculated using these capacity factors.
FAQ-DG-22
Q: When are the Bidder-Owner Agreements due?
The Bidder-Owner Agreements are due by the Part 1 Date. If the document is not available at that time for a system, the Bidder must justify this omission in the Part 1 Proposal. The Bidder will then be given more time to provide the document within the Part 2 Window. However, in no event will a Bidder be allowed to submit the Bidder-Owner Agreement or to complete any other missing information regarding its systems after 12 PM (noon) CPT on the third business day prior to the Bid Date.
FAQ-DG-21
Q: Could you explain how multiple prices for the First Block work?
The First Block of systems can include systems from both the Small Size Class and the Large Size Class. If it does, the Bidder must submit a Bid for each Product. The Bidder must specify two prices for the First Block: 1) a price per REC for the Small Size Product and 2) a price per REC for the Large Size Product.
In the evaluation of Bids, whether the Bid for the Small Size Product in the First Block fails to meet or beat the benchmarks is evaluated separately from whether the Bid for the Large Size Product in the First Block fails to meet or beat the benchmarks (so that a portion, but only a portion, of the First Block could be eliminated from further consideration in the evaluation process on the basis of the benchmarks). Furthermore, if in the evaluation of Bids the Target is met on an annual basis and one Size Class is less than 50% of the Target, then the next most competitive offer in that Size Class can be selected to replace RECs in the other Size. The RECs that are selected to replace or to be replaced can come from a portion of a First Block.
FAQ-DG-20
Q: Is the Host Acknowledgement Form required of new systems, existing systems or both? When is the Host Acknowledgment Form due?
The Host Acknowledgement is required only for the new systems and it is due by the Part 1 Date. If the document is not available at that time, the Bidder must justify this omission in the Part 1 Proposal. The Bidder will then be given more time to provide the document within the Part 2 Window. However, in no event will a Bidder be allowed to submit the Host Acknowledgment or to complete any other missing information regarding its systems after 12 PM (noon) CPT on the third business day prior to the Bid Date.
FAQ-DG-19
Q: How many people participated in the Bidder Information Webcast?
FAQ-DG-18
Q: This RFP is held jointly for all three utilities or Companies. If I win, to which Company will I send my invoice?
While the proposal submission process is held as a joint event, it is not expected that if you have winning Bids, you would execute a contract with each of the Companies. The last step of the evaluation is for the Procurement Administrator to allocate the winning Bids from this jointly held bid process to each Company. This allocation aims in part to minimize the number of winning Bidders that have contracts with more than one Company. Your invoice would be sent to the Company (or Companies) that are your counterparties under the applicable supplier contracts.
FAQ-DG-17
Q: Given there is a different contract for each of the three Companies, please clarify if the credit requirement related to 10% of contract value means: (a) we post collateral associated with 10% of the aggregate contract value with whichever of the Companies we have as a counterparty, or: (b) we post collateral of 10% of the aggregate contract value to each Company separately such that we would be posting 30% of the value of our winning bids?
Your description in (a) is correct. The last step of the evaluation is for the Procurement Administrator to allocate the winning Bids to each Company. While this allocation aims in part to minimize the number of winning Bidders that have contracts with more than one Company, a successful Bidder could have a contract with more than one Company. In that case, the value of the winning bids would be split among the Companies and the Bidder would be posting 10% of the contract value to each Company (only for the amount of RECs associated with the contract for that Company).
FAQ-DG-16
Q: Under the applicable supplier contracts, I understand that we are required to provide performance assurance collateral for 10% of the contract value if the contract value exceeds $500,000. Can we post cash (as opposed to a letter of credit) for this performance assurance collateral?
Yes, successful Bidders may either post cash or a letter of credit Letter under each of the applicable supplier contracts. If you post cash, there may be fees associated with this option as explained in the applicable supplier contracts.
FAQ-DG-15
Q: Under the applicable supplier contracts, I understand that we need to deliver at least 80% of the annual quantity of RECs for each of the large size product and small size product in each delivery year under the contract. Is there an exception to the 80% annual quantity delivery requirement for new systems in the First Delivery Year?
The Annual Volume is determined on the basis of the system size and pre-determined capacity factors as provided in the RFP Rules. For existing systems (i.e., those systems that are energized as of June 1, 2016) the “Annual Volume” is a quantity of RECs that is the same for each of the five “Delivery Periods” (from June 1 of a year to May 31 of the next year). For new systems, a Bidder must specify with its Bid a “First Year Volume”, which is a quantity of RECs to be delivered in the first Delivery Period. For this First Year Volume, you may specify a number of RECs that is less than the Annual Volume including specify zero RECs. As such, while there is no exception to the 80% delivery requirement under the applicable supplier contract, with respect to new systems, the calculation of the annual quantity for RECs associated with the first Delivery Period may be less than the annual quantity with respect to each of the remaining Delivery Periods.
Second, the 80% delivery requirement is applied to RECs in the portfolio of systems in each of the large size product and small size product. This means that it is acceptable if in aggregate you deliver 80% of the Annual Quantity associated with systems collectively in a product, even if there are individual system(s) that fall short of delivering 80% of the expected quantity for the Delivery Period.
FAQ-DG-14
Q: I understand that for new systems only, a Bidder must specify with its Bid a “First Year Volume”, which may be less than the Annual Volume calculated using the standard capacity factor. We have a system that is already registered on PJM GATS or M-RETS, but the RECs for the first Delivery Period are already committed to another party. For purposes of the DG RFP, can we classify such a system as “new” (as opposed to “existing”) so that we can specify a lesser annual quantity for the first Delivery Period?
Please note that, in its Part 1 Proposal, a Bidder is required to certify that the characteristics of the systems presented in the Proposal are true and accurate to the best of the Bidder’s knowledge and belief. Therefore, if a system is “existing” (i.e. energized as of the June 1, 2016) it must be presented as such.
Payment under the IPA Letter of Credit can be demanded if the Bidder makes a material omission or misrepresentation in the Part 1 Proposal or the Part 2 Proposal.
FAQ-DG-13
Q: How do I register to have access to the qualification website for the DG RFP?
To get access to the qualification website, please register for an application account by completing the form here and selecting the “Utility Distributed Generation” category.
FAQ-DG-12
Q: How do I get instructions for payment of the Bid Participation Fee?
You may request these instructions from the Procurement Administrator at Illinois-RFP@nera.com.
FAQ-DG-11
Q: Where can I find the materials from the May 19 webcast?
The slides, audio recording, as well as the questions and answers from the Bidder Information Webcast will all be posted to the Renewable Energy Resources Section or the FAQ page of the procurement website.
FAQ-DG-10
Q: Under the supplier contracts applicable for the DG RFP, when do new systems have to begin accumulating metered deliveries?
Each system must begin accumulating metered deliveries of renewable energy prior to the end of the 2016-2017 delivery year (May 31, 2017) in order to be eligible for the Utility Distributed Generation Request for Proposals (“DG RFP”).
FAQ-DG-9
Q: Are the requirements of the DG RFP different for systems outside Illinois?
Only RECs generated from systems located in Illinois are eligible to be bid under the Utility Distributed Generation Request for Proposals (“DG RFP”).
FAQ-DG-8
Q: What qualifies as a distributed generation system for purposes of the DG RFP?
There are various requirements for systems in order for them to be eligible to be bid into the Utility Distributed Generation Request for Proposals (“DG RFP”). We recommend that you review the RFP Rules for these requirements once they are posted to the Renewable Energy Resources section of the procurement website.
However, in order to be eligible a system must be a “Distributed renewable energy generation device”. As defined by the Illinois Power Act this means a device that is:
(1) powered by wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells and panels, biodiesel, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, tree waste, and hydropower that does not involve new construction or significant expansion of hydropower dams;
(2) interconnected at the distribution system level of either an electric utility as defined in this Section, an alternative retail electric supplier as defined in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act, a municipal utility as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, or a rural electric cooperative as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act;
(3) located on the customer side of the customer’s electric meter and is primarily used to offset that customer’s electricity load; and
(4) limited in nameplate capacity to no more than 2,000 kilowatts.
FAQ-DG-7
FAQ-DG-6
Q: Is it possible to provide a speculative bid for either the SPV RFP or the DG RFP where the system will not be identified at the time of the bid?
Under the Supplemental Photovoltaic RFP (“SPV RFP”), a Bidder may bid a quantity of RECs that are not associated with identified systems. This is called a “forecast quantity”. Forecast quantities of RECs must be from systems less than 25 kW in size.
Forecast quantities are not allowed under the terms of the Utility Distributed Generation RFP (“DG RFP”). A Bidder must identify all of the systems in their Proposal no later than the Part 2 Date.
FAQ-DG-5
Q: Can a system that was selected as part of winning Bids in a procurement event under the Utility DG RFP and that was energized after January 21, 2015 be presented in a Proposal under the SPV RFP?
No. In its Part 1 Proposal, a Bidder in the Supplemental Photovoltaic RFP (“SPV RFP”) is required to certify that none of the systems presented in the Proposal have been selected as part of winning Bids in a previous procurement event under the SPV RFP or the Utility Distributed Generation RFP (“DG RFP”). As such, winning systems from a Utility DG procurement event are not eligible to be presented as part of a Proposal in a procurement event under the SPV RFP.
FAQ-DG-4
FAQ-DG-3
Q: To calculate the number of RECs from a 10 kW system, you use the following formula: 0.010MW x 14.38 % x 8760 hours x 5 years = about 63 RECs. What does the 8760 represent?
8,760 is number of hours in a year: 24 hours/day x 365 days/year.
FAQ-DG-2
FAQ-DG-1