Selectmen award LED smart‑lighting contract to Affinity LED after competitive bids; one board member dissents

The Board of Selectmen voted 4–1 on May 12 to award a townwide LED smart‑lighting conversion contract to Affinity LED for the presented base scope (municipal buildings and parking lot work). The board excluded the Keyes Field alternate in the approved motion; the vote was 4–1 with Director Lessard (the staff presenter) recorded as the dissenting vote.

Public Works staff presented two responsive bids. Affinity’s total bid for the base scope was approximately $398,000; Resource Lighting submitted a lower base‑scope number (about $359,000) but Resource’s proposal was declared non‑responsive at the bid opening because of a post‑bid change requested by the vendor. Town staff reported that Affinity’s audit and incentive documentation to Eversource were already in the utility’s system (some submitted earlier), which produced a larger documented utility incentive and a higher projected annual savings in Affinity’s energy model; Resource said it had not had adequate time to finalize the Eversource incentive paperwork during the short bid window and asked for reissuance or consideration. Resource’s representatives asked the board to reissue the RFP; they said an updated Eversource incentive estimate would lower the town’s net cost by tens of thousands of dollars. The board declined to re‑open the bid process and approved Affinity’s bid for the core work.

Affinity’s owner and team presented energy models and letters of agreement for incentives and cited higher projected annual energy savings; Affinity also offered an 8‑year warranty. Resource’s CEO described his firm as a veteran‑owned company and asked the board to reissue the RFP to capture finalized utility incentives; Resource noted it planned to use a local electrical contractor if chosen.

Board discussion touched on payback period estimates, warranties, fixture performance, and whether to include a Keyes Field alternate that would add additional lighting to courts and parking; the board approved the core scope without Keyes Field. Staff will return with contract documents and implementation scheduling; work will be invoiced/financed in a way that draws on utility incentives and reduces net town cash outlay during the financing term.