Getting your RFP together
So you have pulled your team together and now it is time to put the Request for Proposal (RFP) together.

The first step is identifying which of the pools you would like to include in the proposal. A visual scan of all of the pools which are heated, roughly where the panels could be installed is useful. Some pools may not have a physical design that lends itself easily to using solar heating systems. For example, is there a place to mount the panels (roof top, shade structure)? Is there space to build a shade structure and mount the panels? Are the roof tops available for mounting close enough to the pool so that you do not suffer significant heat losses in the pipe run to the pool? Determine approximately, which pools have the greatest potential and make a list.

Next, review the current energy costs of each heating system for each of the pools on your list, boiler condition and whether a capital investment was recently made. Then you are ready to use the Solar Pool Calculator and determine which are good prospects for solar heating.

Then convene your team and present your findings on the prospect pools and conduct a discussion about whether there are any other reasons that pools on the list should be off (or pools off the list should be on). Finalize the prospect list with your team.

At that point your team (pool personnel, energy manager (or facility manager, finance and procurement representatives) is ready to look at the sample RFP available on this site (SP RFP.doc). Either in group discussion or by email, ask the team members to review each paragraph and determine if it is appropriate for your organization and situation. Make any adjustments or revisions that the team deems necessary.

Once the content of the RFP has been agreed upon, submit it to procurement for publication and distribution.

It might be useful to provide a list of potential bidders to procurement, especially if your organization does not have a great deal of experience with solar energy or third party financing transactions.

Please see Sources for Prospective Proposers for some guidance on that.

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