Local Vendor Program

Apex generally selects an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor (much like a general contractor) to lead the project’s construction in coordination with our internal construction management team. The EPC contractor manages all subcontractors for the project to ensure it is constructed safely and on schedule. Other major contractors who typically work alongside the EPC include:

• Civil/Site Contractor: Responsible for building access roads and site preparation prior to module installation.
• Foundation Contractor: Responsible for forming, tying rebar, and procuring and pouring concrete foundations.
• Mechanical/Turbine Erection Contractor: Responsible for compiling turbine components, erecting turbine towers, and installing turbine generators, hubs, and blades.
• Electrical/Substation Contractor(s): Responsible for the design and construction of the substation, transmission line, underground collection lines between turbines, and wiring of the turbines.

The equipment on a solar project is a significant investment. Procurement of solar panels and other major components are typically handled by Apex Clean Energy, while other components may be procured by the EPC. Major suppliers include:

• Module Supplier: Responsible for providing site solar modules and coordinating delivery logistics. A panel supplier will be selected much closer to project construction. Solar panels and other components are manufactured throughout the world, including right here in America. One of America’s largest solar panel manufacturers, First Solar, is located in Toledo, Ohio, with other global suppliers like Canadian Solar and Korean-based Hanwha Qcells opening new manufacturing facilities here in the United States. Michigan’s Hemlock Semiconductor is America’s largest producer of hyper-pure polysilicon, used in solar panels and other electronics across the globe.

• Tracking/Racking Supplier:Responsible for providing the project tracker/racking system and commissioning motors and moving parts. Major tracking system manufacturers include Array Technologies, NextTracker, and others.

• Inverter Supplier: Responsible for providing the project inverter skids and start-up of inverters during commissioning.

• Main Power Transformer (MPT) Supplier: Responsible for providing the project MPT(s), dress out, and start-up of the MPT(s).

Specific job roles on a wind project include both skilled and unskilled labor. Skilled labor refers to labor that requires workers who have specialized training or a learned skill set to perform the work. Activities include Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP) installation and maintenance and drain tile repairs, among others.

Unskilled labor does not require workers to have special training or skills. Activities include waste management, portable restroom maintenance, and traffic control/flagging.

Other potential roles during construction include:

• Carpenters: Concrete form work, stairs, and decking (for office trailers).
• Concrete Finishers: Substation foundation finishing work.
• Rod Busters: Tie rebar for substation foundation pours.
• Equipment Operators: Operate track hoes, bulldozers, motor graders/scrapers, backhoes, track/rubber tire loaders, skid steers, etc.
• Pipe Fitters: Fit pipes to walls, structures, and fixtures, such as radiators or tanks, using brackets, clamps, tools, or welding equipment. Pipe fitters measure and mark pipes for cutting, threading, and welding.
• Pipe Welders: Complete each weld to the specified standards using appropriate equipment and materials.
• Riggers: Align, level, and anchor machinery. Attach loads to rigging to provide support or prepare them for moving, using hand and power tools. Attach pulleys and blocks to fixed overhead structures, such as beams, ceilings, and gin pole booms, using bolts and clamps.
• Electricians: Read blueprints or technical diagrams. Install and maintain wiring, control, and lighting systems. Inspect electrical components, such as transformers and circuit breakers. Identify electrical problems with a variety of testing devices.
• Project Manager: Plans, budgets, oversees, and documents all aspects of the specific project.
• Superintendent: Trade-specific; responsible for scheduling, inspections, quality control, and job site safety.
• On-Site QA/QC Managers: Inspect, test, and sample materials or assembled parts or products for defects and deviations from specifications.  
• Site Safety Personnel: Ensure that construction workers follow established policies and safety regulations.
• Site Project Scheduler: Organizes, implements, and maintains scheduling management system supporting identified projects and their plans. Assists in setting up tasks and sub-tasks to ensure satisfactory realization of project contract requirements as scheduled.
• Craftworkers: On-site creation or reproduction of objects using a variety of techniques.

Once the project is operational, several long-term positions will maintain the project over time, including:

• Facility Manager: Oversees the solar farm’s daily operations. Responsible for ensuring staff are maintaining and operating the equipment and that the solar farm is producing energy as expected.
• Deputy Facility Manager: Provides technical and subcontractor support to the Facility Manager for the operations and maintenance of the solar farm. This includes managing the facility’s subcontractors, site maintenance and operation, training, equipment testing, and responding to emergencies.
• Inverter Technician: Responds to inverter faults and outages and supports facility team in maintaining the solar farm operations.
• Remote Operations Control Center: Monitors and helps control the operation of the solar facility from Apex's corporate headquarters in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Beyond the major contractors, there are many products and services needed for construction that will be procured locally. Those include:

• Surveying: As-builts, ALTA survey, road and facility layout
• Sanitary Facilities: Portable toilets, temporary trailer hookup
• Road aggregate
• Utility fiber-optic cables: Provides internet access for facility
• Trucking: Stone hauling, equipment hauling
• Piping: PVC, steel, drain tile repair, irrigation repair
• Fuel: Off/on-road diesel, gasoline
• Concrete: Off-site
• Cement stabilization
• Water
• Ice
• Office trailers
• Office supplies
• Electrical service
• Phone/Internet service
• Paving
• Construction material testing
• Engineering services
• Drilling contractors: Substation piers
• Boring contractor: Road and pipe bores
• Equipment rentals: Lights, generators, tools, equipment
• Trenching
• Restaurants
• Convenience stores
• Grocery stores
• Local housing
• Mobile home parks
• Retailers
• Gas stations