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Board awards Bear Cave solar project to Solar Connection
Summary
After receiving seven RFP responses, the board approved awarding the Bear Cave 'Solar for Schools' project to Solar Connection; the recommended bid included inverter replacements and stayed within the district's grant/tax-credit assumptions.
The Stewartville School Board approved awarding the Bear Cave Solar for Schools project to Solar Connection during its Dec. 1 meeting. Administration reported seven proposals were received after a short RFP window; scoring prioritized cost, vendor experience and technical fit. Solar Connection— which completed the district’s earlier Bear Cave work and pre-project assessments—was the recommended and approved vendor.
Staff said bid pricing was evaluated against the district’s Solar for Schools grant assumptions (grant covering up to 50% of project costs, up to $500,000) and the availability of a 30% federal tax credit. Staff also confirmed Solar Connection’s price included replacement of existing inverters to create a compatible single monitoring system; the district intentionally sized the system for on-site use only, avoiding the complications and charges that can accompany selling power back to the grid.
During Q&A board members asked if generation would be sold back to customers or used on-site; staff said the system was sized primarily for on-site consumption. Board also discussed system sizing alternatives and the potential to expand later if desired. The vote to award Solar Connection carried 6–0.
Contracting details, final project cost to the district after grant and tax-credit application, and implementation schedule were not finalized in the meeting; administration said they would return with final contract documents and required documentation for grant submittal.
