UMass Amherst - Battery Storage Tolling Agreement (Phase 3)

University of Massachusetts Amherst is seeking a qualified vendor to design, finance, install, commission, and operate a behind‑the‑meter battery energy storage system (BESS) on its Amherst campus. The award will be a long‑term tolling arrangement where the vendor owns the battery, UMass retains operational control, and a fixed $/kW‑month tolling fee is paid (subject to performance‑based reductions). Two size options (≈ 5 MW/20 MWh or 10 MW/30 MWh) and three contract terms (10, 15, 20 years) are offered. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Jaggaer BuyWays portal, include a lump‑sum price covering all equipment, services, and shipping, and be accompanied by required certifications, insurance, and technical documentation. • Scope – Engineering, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, and O&M of a utility‑scale battery system; integration with UMass’s OSI PI platform via Modbus TCP/IP. • Financial – Fixed‑price, lump‑sum bid; tolling fee expressed in $/kW‑month with possible reductions tied to missed savings; vendor assumes all tax liabilities. • Evaluation – Technical merit (approach, schedule, qualifications) weighted 50 %; cost effectiveness 25 %; DEIA considerations and references 25 %. • Submission – All documents uploaded to the BuyWays portal by 5 PM EDT on May 15, 2026; no hard‑copy bids; mandatory registration on the UMass Supplier Portal.