How to Write an Arc Flash Study Request for Proposal (RFP)

Writing a Good Arc Flash RFP & Why it is important 

RFP (Request for Proposal) writing and management can be a challenging task for all. No one wants to move a closing date or issue countless addendums after launching  an RFP to the public. A good Arc Flash Study RFP should be simple, thoughtful, and tight. Here are a few tips! 

When issuing an Arc Flash Study RFP, we recommend keeping it simple and give prospective vendors the best opportunity to succeed, so your team can make the correct decision. Let this blog be your guide when creating your next Arc Flash Study RFP. 

 

Set goals.

Before you issue an RFP, be sure your team is clear on what you want from a vendor. 
-    Set a Clear Budget
-    Set Clear Timelines
-    Set Clear Requirements
-    Set a Clear Grading Rubric (here is a good reference if you need some more info on how to grade your vendor’s responses.)

You only want to issue and award an RFP once, and worse you don’t want to have to re-issue after a failed project a few months or years later. Having a company do an Arc Flash Study and then having another company need to redo it a few months later is worst case scenario. 

It is also important to have a clear committee or approval group ready to grade responses. This group should be meeting before the RFP is issued to make sure they are clear on their goals. 

 

 

Keep it simple.   

Keeping your RFP simple, makes for a pleasant experience for potential vendors. This will also reduce questions and potentially reduce unexpected addendums and moved end dates… which no one at your company wants.

Even more importantly, keeping it simple, is easier for your team as well. When RFPs are straightforward, it's easier for your team to compare quotes from different vendors. This facilitates better decision-making based on you pre-determined goals (Above). 

 

Don’t add a bunch of unnecessary rules or jargon.

We all deal with jargon in our professional and personal lives, so it is ok to have some necessary “technical or legal” (jargon) text written in your RFP. 

We get it, sometimes it is hard to leave out parts of your company’s safety initiatives, plans or policies etc. Just try and remember if its inclusion is required to get this project moving. Of course, you can discuss specifics with the winning vendor later. 

Only include it if it is necessary. If your team is on the fence, or it is not entirely necessary, leave it out. 

 

Make it easy to apply.

Portals, Logins, Portals, and more logins!! 

We have all seen it, and it is painful to even think about. Those painful RFP portals. 

Vendors want to apply… they plan to apply… they are going to apply… but they often do not because of bad technology, horrible portals, clunky or confusing interfaces or lengthy application requirements. I promise you will lose good vendor responses because your submission process is complicated. 

Let the vendor focus on their arc flash expertise, references and getting their estimates right. If you bog them down with bad technology, you will not get the bidding quality you want. Don’t make someone learn how to use a bad platform for one entry. They will not come back and maybe won’t even submit. 

If you have a portal that you know is a bit of a pain, at the very least make your required deliverables extra simple.

 

You should not be afraid to delay the RFP Launch.

This one is easy. If you and your team are not ready for the work, or ready for the work that comes with having an active RFP, don’t launch it yet. 

An Arc Flash Study project requires some resource allocation and requires staff to be available for site visits and other things. 

It is better to delay a little longer than it is to waste a bunch of everyone’s time. 

 

What is the difference between an Arc Flash Study RFQ (Request for Quote) and an Arc Flash Study RFP?

Be clear on this, as people will answer differently based on what you call your document. Both types of procurement documents are used by organizations to solicit offers from potential suppliers or vendors. 

And before we continue, here at Leaf, we feel an Arc Flash Study Tender should almost always be written as an RFP, as they aren’t always going to be straightforward. Prospective vendors have such a wide range of expertise and need more than a “quote” to showcase what they can do for you and your team. Your vendors will not be comparing “apples to apples”, nor would you want them too. 

It's kind of like architects responding to an RFP. 

Sure, all the vendors would have similarities… building to code, safe, fits the plot of land. But there would be so many differences and unique qualities within every proposal response. We should be treating Arc Flash projects in a similar way. When in doubt, call it an RFP, not an RFQ. 

An RFQ is typically used for straightforward procurement needs where price and basic terms are the main considerations. 

An RFP, on the other hand, is used for more complex projects or services where detailed proposals and solutions are required, along with considerations beyond just price, such as technical capabilities, scope, detailed timelines etc. 

 

Not knowing everything is OK!

You want to hire a vendor for a reason. Let them be the expert and help you. If you don’t know how an Arc Flash Study exactly works or are unsure if you have all the documentation, be honest and open. Don’t try to manufacture an answer that will confuse potential vendors more. It is ok to not know every little detail, and if you did, you would not need to issue an RFP in the first place. 

 

Fall in love with the vendor, not just the price.

This is easy to understand but I feel needs to be mentioned. 

I am fully aware that price is usually the most important thing. But let me refresh your way of thinking slightly. If price is all you are basing your grading on… you will get what you pay for. 

Use this RFP project as an introduction opportunity for new vendors. Let the vendors “woo” you with innovative ideas and concepts for your project. You may be surprised if you think outside “pricing as the driver.” 

Want to talk to us about your Arc Flash Project or bid on your proposal? Reach out today! 

 

Arc Flash Specifics to Include for best results. 

Let us dive into Arc Flash specific details you may want to include in your RFP to give you superior results. 

Determine «Why» You Wanted the Study in the First Place.

It is important to discuss with your team the reasons for wanting an Arc Flash Study. Determining your “why” should really help you with your vendor selection. This is because of the diverse types of companies that may fulfill an arc flash study. In their responses vendors may focus on:  
-    safety of your people
-    training
-    speed
-    mitigation
-    price
-    PPE
-    corporate compliance and so on. 

Determining why you issued an RFP should help you figure out who is best for your project. Remember above, Fall in love with the vendor, not just the price.

 

Include an Up-to-date Single Line Diagram. 

Any single line is helpful, but an up-to-date single line should give you the most accurate estimates. The more complete single line diagram, the more complete the responses will be. If your single line is old or doesn’t exist there will be a larger margin of error for the estimators from your potential vendors. What is a Single Line Diagram you may be asking ->

“A single-line diagram (SLD) is a high-level schematic diagram showing how incoming power is distributed to equipment. Below is the CSA Z462 single line diagram definition:

A4.1.1 Single-Line (One-Line) Diagram: A diagram which shows, by means of single lines and graphic symbols, the course of an electric circuit or system of circuits and the component devices or parts used therein.

Having a ‘single-line’ allows the diagram to stay readable despite communicating a lot of information about an electrical system. 
This electrical one line diagram is the primary reference for maintenance and operations for lockout/tagout procedures, as well as for any engineering power system studies.”

If you would like to learn more check out our blog devoted to Single Line Diagrams 

 

If you do not have a Single Line Diagram.

You will need one! Completing an arc flash hazard study and getting the best results requires knowing and modelling all the information on a SLD.

The easiest thing to do is to include it as part of your arc flash RFP, but not having one makes it difficult for vendors to estimate the amount of work. 

Simply put, you could try to figure out how many labels you want. This gives prospective vendors the ability to give a much more accurate quote. 

What is the Labeling level for the project (distribution vs floor level equipment)? 

This excerpt from the standard is a good reference when trying to figure out how many labels you would be looking for. 

 
Ideally your team can de-energize equipment before working, but even if can they’ll still want to know the hazard they’re exposed to while verifying for dead.

 

Cleary Define Scope.

I will start with this … the less defined your scope, the wider arrangement of bids you will receive. You may even get bids from potential vendors who can’t fulfill the work. 

To start, write a list including everything you want from a vendor, and if you can include this list simply in your RFP, do it! Deliverables laid out simply or in list form is an easy-to-understand method for the reader. 

If you don’t know exactly what you want, you may consider purchasing -> IEEE Guide for the Specification of Scope and Deliverable Requirements for an Arc-Flash Hazard Calculation Study in Accordance with IEEE Std 1584. 

You could also check out our Blog - Arc Flash Studies: A Guide for Industry Leaders (2023) 

 

Prioritizing Hazardous Elements First.

Coupled with “clearly defining your scope” you should be trying to prioritize what elements need addressing first. Try to remember that you don’t need to do absolutely everything during your first Arc Flash Study. 

A good strategy whether you have a lot of information or just a little (on your equipment) is to zero in on the most hazardous or perceived hazardous equipment first. Protecting your people from hazards with the correct PPE should be the most crucial element to any arc flash study project. 

Provide Pre-Existing Models.

Providing pre-existing models can allow for time/cost savings, especially if you are requesting your vendors use the same software. Importing data from another software type still requires some work, but less than building a new model. 

File accessibility also makes for an easy renewal with the chosen vendor when the time comes to renew. (*Every Five Years)

 

Prepare your team for an Arc Flash Study.

This sounds straight forward but prepping your team for an Arc Flash Study is especially important. Things like resource allocation for the data collection day or determining how the labels will be applied … These types of decisions do add some work for your team members. So, plan and involve your team in the decision process so you know you are choosing a vendor who is aligned to the type of interaction you are looking for. 

For example, here at Leaf we do in person data collection and often we come back to do in person label application. But this isn’t the only way to make these things happen! 

If you would like to learn more about how we complete an click Arc Flash Study

 

Extras.

Make sure your team talks about and includes some of the beneficial extras and add-ons a vendor may offer. As an Arc Flash Study provider, we do offer much more than just the study itself. Sometimes we do have to “guess” which extras would be advantageous for our clients to have.

But on the other side, if you know for certain you want your staff to have Arc Flash Training or undergo some Mitigation deliverables … add them to your proposal. 

 

Conclusion.

In short:
-    Keep it simple for you and your prospective vendors
-    Make the process as easy as possible
-    Clearly lay out what you want done
-    Look beyond the price (if you can)
-    And most importantly -> get the arc flash study completed to protect your workers as soon as possible. 

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding how to write an Arc Flash RFP. 

Do you know anyone else that would benefit from this blog? Please feel free to share or. If you have any questions, leave a comment or you can always reach out to us anytime.