Design and Construction of Power Distribution within the County Solid Waste Disposal Complex

Pinellas County - SOLID WASTE has issued solicitation, solicitation 26-0734-RFQ-DB.

Pinellas County, Florida (“County”) seeks to engage a qualified design-build team to develop and implement a resilient, multi-source microgrid system at the Solid Waste Disposal Complex in St. Petersburg, Florida. The microgrid will integrate power from the existing Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility, a new floating solar array, and electric utility services to provide electricity to county facilities, enhance reliability, operational continuity, and sustainability across the site. The County intends to select and enter into a contract with the proposer whose proposal is determined in the sole judgment of the County to be in the best interest of the County. To be eligible to enter into the Service Agreement with the County, such Proposer must continue to meet all of the Minimum Qualifications Criteria contained in this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from the date the Statement of Qualifications is submitted until the day the Service Agreement is signed by the County. The RFQ requests Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from qualified companies (“Proposers”). The qualified Proposers who respond will be evaluated in accordance with the procedures and criteria set forth in this RFQ.

The Solid Waste Disposal Complex, as defined for this project, comprises multiple county-owned facilities and site utility services. Key facilities include – a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility, mosquito control operations, sheriff’s training facilities, and an industrial water treatment facility, administrative building, Household Hazardous Waste Center, maintenance buildings, landfill contractors' buildings, WTE administration and education center, and multiple pump stations and other electrical users – each currently served by separate electric services from Duke Energy. The County intends to consolidate and modernize its electrical infrastructure by constructing a centralized microgrid. The Microgrid will: Include a new switchgear building elevated above the 500-year floodplain. Feature advanced distribution infrastructure (overhead and underground) and replace all Duke-provided services and transformers with Microgrid services and infrastructure. Refer to Figures. No. 1, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3, 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3 in the attached Design-Criteria Package for existing transformer, meter, and service locations where new on-site microgrid distribution and service infrastructure is required. Be designed and constructed in compliance with the Florida Building Code, NEC, NESC, and other applicable standards. Integrate a Waste-to-Energy facility, a floating photovoltaic (PV) array (estimated 5 MW capacity), and electric utility services to power county facilities and site service needs. The design-builder shall design and construct the infrastructure needed to integrate these Distributed Energy Resources (DERs).

Responses are due September 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM EDT.

Questions must be submitted by September 21, 2026 at 3:00 PM EDT.

A non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for September 15, 2026 at 9:00 AM EDT at Solid Waste Administration Building, 3095 114th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33716.

Commodity categories: Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution - Architectural; Utilities (Gas, Steam, Electric) - Architectural; Special Trade Constructon, Power Plant; Construction, Energy Related (All Types); Construction, Power Line (Includes Installation, Maintenance, and Repair); Electrical; Civil Engineering; Electrical Engineering (Incl. Cogeneration Design Services).

Contact: Pamela Ulrich, Lead Procurement Analyst (plulrich@pinellas.gov, (727) 464-3150).

3 documents are attached to the notice: Sample Agreement; Microgrid Development Design Criteria Package; 26-0734-RFQ-DB.

The full solicitation document, addenda and the question-and-answer thread are on the agency's OpenGov portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/pinellasfl/projects/288634. Responses are submitted electronically there, and a free vendor account is required before you can upload one.