Solar Lighting RFP & Procurement Guide
A strong solar lighting RFP specifies performance — IES light levels for the application, required autonomy and worst-month sizing, battery chemistry/BMS and warranty, durability (IP/IK), and domestic content — and requires every bidder to submit a photometric report and sizing calculation, so undersized catalog products can't win on price. Solar is uniquely vulnerable to under-specification: a fixture that looks identical on a product photo can be drastically undersized inside, and only the engineering reveals it.
This guide covers how to write the RFP around performance, why the engineering requirement is the keystone, and how to evaluate fairly.
Write performance, not products
| Specify | Detail |
|---|---|
| IES light level | RP-8 roadway, RP-20 parking, etc., plus uniformity |
| Autonomy | 3–5+ days, matched to criticality and climate |
| Worst-month design basis | Sized to the darkest month, not the average |
| Battery / BMS & warranty | Chemistry, management, coverage including battery |
| Durability & BABA | IP/IK ratings; domestic content where applicable |
The decisive specifications are autonomy and the worst-month design basis — they're what guarantee the system survives winter and cloudy stretches, and they're exactly what undersized bids omit.
Require the engineering
The keystone of a solar RFP is mandating a photometric report and a sizing calculation from every bidder. The sizing calc should show the load, the site's worst-month solar resource, the battery and panel sizing, and the autonomy. This is the single best filter against catalog drop-shippers: an RFP that lists only wattage and lumens lets an undersized system technically qualify, win on price, and then fail in winter. Requiring the engineering forces every bidder to prove they sized the system for your site, not a generic one.
Evaluate fairly
With the engineering in hand, score on compliance, durability, warranty, references, and lifecycle cost — not price alone. A solar system is a 20-year asset, so the cheapest undersized bid is the most expensive outcome if it fails and has to be replaced. The right award is the one that demonstrably performs for its full design life. 360 Solar provides the documentation a sound RFP should require.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a solar lighting RFP?
Specify the IES level, required autonomy and worst-month sizing, battery/BMS and warranty, durability, and BABA, and require a photometric report and sizing calc from every bidder.
Why require a photometric report and sizing calc?
They're the best filter against catalog drop-shippers — listing only wattage and lumens lets undersized systems qualify and fail in winter.
What should a solar RFP specify?
IES level and uniformity, autonomy (3–5+ days), worst-month basis, battery and BMS, warranty with battery coverage, IP/IK durability, and BABA where applicable.
How should bids be evaluated?
On engineering compliance, durability, warranty, references, and lifecycle cost — not price alone.
What's the single most important RFP requirement?
The worst-month sizing calculation — it's what proves the system won't fail in winter, and it's what undersized bids leave out.
Ask for help drafting a solar RFP, backed by the engineering documentation. Get it at 360solarlighting.com/free-quote.