Procurement

Make every installer bid on the same project

A solar RFP and bid comparison that puts every proposal in the same crate: same scope, same warranty questions, same production assumptions. You choose from a scored table instead of a stack of brochures.

Book a free fit call See how it works

4–8 weeks from complete documents, depending mostly on the length of the bid windowFlat fee, in writingNo commissions, ever

Mismatched fruit being sorted into identical crates beside a small solar panel — The idea
Most solar bids are apples and oranges. Leveling puts them in the same crate — same scope, same warranties, same assumptions.

Why a solar RFP and bid comparison beats a stack of quotes

Ask three installers for a quote and you’ll get three different documents. One prices a larger system with premium modules. One leaves out the main-panel upgrade. One assumes your roof will produce 8% more than the others think it will. None of them is wrong, exactly. They just aren’t answering the same question.

A solar RFP and bid comparison starts by writing the question down. We build the request from your requirements: your bills, your site, your budget, the job you want the system to do (offset daytime load, cover a share of annual use, add backup) and your schedule. Every bidder gets the same package. That’s what makes leveling possible.

What goes in the request

Site facts: roof or ground area, roof age and type, main electrical service size, utility and rate schedule, shading notes and photos.
Scope: system size range, storage or not, monitoring, and who handles permits and the interconnection application.
A required response format, so every price is broken out the same way.
A “what if” list every bidder must price: a main-panel upgrade, extra trenching per foot, roof repairs found mid-job.
Documents to submit: proof of a Kentucky electrical license (the state Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction offers a public license lookup), current certificates of insurance and a list of planned subcontractors.

Every question a bidder asks goes into a shared Q&A log, and every bidder sees every answer. Nobody gets a private advantage.

How we level the bids

What we normalize	Why it matters
Price per watt DC, with adders listed separately	Puts systems of different sizes on one scale
Equipment tier and exact model	Two “400-watt panels” can be very different products
Product, performance and workmanship warranties	They come from different companies and cover different failures
Production assumptions	A higher estimate makes any price look better
Exclusions	The costliest line is often the one that’s missing
Change-order policy	Sets what “unforeseen conditions” can cost you
Payment schedule	Large early deposits shift risk onto you

Production gets special attention. We compare each bidder’s annual estimate against an independent estimate built with standard public modeling tools. If one bid assumes far more output than the rest, its cost per expected kilowatt-hour looks better on paper than it will on your bill.

Set the weights before you open the envelopes

Here’s an assumption worth testing: that you’ll judge the bids fairly once they arrive. Most people already have a favorite by then. So we agree on scoring weights with you before the bid window closes: price, warranty strength, production credibility, experience with similar projects, schedule and financial durability. Then the matrix scores the bids, not the other way around.

Financial durability belongs on that list. Several large residential installers and financiers went bankrupt in 2024–2026, and their customers learned that a workmanship warranty lasts only as long as the company behind it. Ask whether a warranty is backed by a third party. Ask who services the system if the installer closes. Our System Health Check exists because those questions weren’t asked often enough.

Shortlist and interviews

We help you interview two or three finalists, using a question guide built around each bid’s gaps. Ask to meet the person who will run your job, not only the salesperson. Then you choose. We don’t.

We accept no fees from bidders, and Lucía Brandt, who runs our RFPs, has never met a bidder she needed to keep happy. If you’re weighing proposals you already have, start with the red-flag checklist. For component sourcing and supply-chain paperwork, see Equipment Sourcing & Documentation. Commercial projects racing a credit deadline should also read the deadline timeline.

What you walk away with

Outcomes, not opinions

Apples to apples

Every bid is restated on the same basis: price per watt DC, equipment tier, warranty terms, exclusions and payment schedule.

Production you can test

We compare each bidder's production assumptions against an independent estimate, so a rosy number doesn't win by default.

Fewer surprises after signing

Change-order rules, contingency pricing and payment milestones are on the table before you commit.

A shortlist you can defend

Weights are set before bids open, and the memo shows the score behind every ranking.

How it works

The process, start to finish

4–8 weeks from complete documents, depending mostly on the length of the bid window. You'll know the scope and the fee before any work begins.

Fit call
A free 20-minute call about your site, goals and timing. We say honestly whether a formal RFP is worth it for your project.
Scope and requirements
After you accept a written flat fee, we turn your goals, bills and site facts into a requirements summary you sign off on.
RFP and Q&A
We issue the package to the installers you choose or we research, answer questions in a shared log and keep the bid window on schedule.
Leveling and scoring
We normalize every bid, test production assumptions, flag gaps and score each response against your weights.
Shortlist and walkthrough
We help you interview two or three finalists, then deliver the memo and a recorded walkthrough. One round of follow-up questions is included.

Deliverables

What's in the report

Requirements summary and RFP package with site facts, scope, schedule and required response format
Bidder list, with license and insurance documents requested from each
Shared Q&A log, so every bidder works from the same answers
Bid-leveling workbook covering price, equipment, warranties, production, exclusions and payment terms
Scoring matrix with weights you approve in advance
Shortlist interview guide with questions tailored to each finalist
Recommendation memo, assumptions page and recorded walkthrough call

Where our work stops

Boundaries we keep

We don't design the system or do engineering; bidders and the licensed professionals they retain do that.
We don't draft, negotiate or interpret contract language; we list the terms to raise with your attorney.
We don't accept fees, commissions or referral payments from any bidder, ever.
We don't make the final choice for you or sign anything on your behalf.
We don't inspect installations or judge workmanship on site.

Our full scope of services

Part of our Procurement Consulting practice. Also in this practice: Equipment Sourcing & Documentation.

FAQ

Questions about Installer RFP & Bid Leveling

How many installers should we invite?

Usually three to five. Fewer than three gives you little to compare. More than five tends to thin out responses, because good installers stop bidding when the odds look long. We suggest a number based on project size and the local market.

Can you find installers for us?

Yes. We research companies that serve your area, check what is publicly verifiable about licensing, and ask each one for proof of license and current insurance. You approve the list before anyone is invited.

Do bidders pay to participate, or pay you if they win?

No. Bidders pay nothing to participate and nothing if they win. We are paid only by you, through a flat fee agreed in writing before work starts.

What if the cheapest bid scores lowest?

That happens. A low price per watt can come with a thinner warranty, more exclusions or an optimistic production estimate. The memo shows exactly where the points went, so you can decide whether the trade is worth it.

Is this only for commercial projects?

No, but it fits best above a certain size or complexity. For a typical home with two quotes already in hand, a Proposal Second Opinion is faster and simpler.