Procurement Service Modules

PVBuyer offers our Procurement and Quality Assurance Services in separate low cost modules that can customized to fit a client’s Risk Mitigation and Quality Assurance requirements.

PVB-R: RFP/RFQ creation and execution
PVB-M: Approved Manufacturer review and selection
PVB-S:  Purchase contract and warranty review
PVB-C:  Contract negotiation with US/Chinese legal teams
PVB-F:  Financial Transaction management
PVB-L: Product Logistics – Ocean
PVB-CU: Customs Clearance
PV-WH: US Warehousing and Staging of Modules
PVB-TR: US Truck Delivery to jobsite within 2 hour timeframe
PVB-OM: Supply of Replacement modules for life of project

Procurement Details

VB-R: RFP/RFQ creation and execution
PVBuyer works with your team to map out the exact Bill of Materials to be used to build a solar asset. We then create the RFI/RFP/RFQ templates using Best in Class methods developed from our years of PV Procurement experience. PVBuyer submits RFQ to all pre-qualified Tier 1 manufacturers for review. Once all bids are received and reviewed by our PVBuyer’s technical and commercial teams, a detailed report is submitted to the client for final supplier selection.
 
PVB-S:  Product Warranty review
Not all Tier 1 product warranties are alike, and PVBuyer’s team is experienced in the review and negotiation of Product Warranties to meet our client’s highest expectations. PVBuyer will make sure your company has the right warranty terms before a purchase is executed, and our team will facilitate and manage any warranty claims for your company for the life of the project.
 
PVB-C:  Contract negotiation with US/Chinese legal teams
PVBuyer’s team of experts are well-versed in the cultural and legal aspects of negotiating cross border contracts with Tier 1 Chinese manufacturers. Because of our experience, we know exactly which clauses can or cannot be changed easily, allowing us to negotiate the best possible contract terms for our clients while minimizing the time and billing expenses of the US legal teams.

PVB-M: Approved Manufacturer review and selection
Although the Bloomberg Finance Tier 1 Module Supplier list is a good starting point for choosing the correct solar module manufacturer, PVBuyer goes deeper into the quality attributes and financial strength of each potential supplier on behalf of our clients. As experienced procurement experts, PVBuyer understands that you not only need high quality modules but you need a financially strong supplier to back up these products. As part of our financial due diligence process, PVBuyer also examines the Debt Ratios of Chinese Tier 1 suppliers to mitigate our client’s financial risk.

PVB-F:  Financial Transaction management
PVBuyer manages all aspects of the financial transactions for our clients, from keeping track of down payments, to making sure credit lines are approved through the Sinosure credit insurance agency in China. If a large down payment is required for a multi-MW project, PVBuyer can help arrange a Standby Letter of Credit with the Bank of China to protect our client’s down payment in case of non-delivery or under-delivery. PVBuyer can also arrange a Documentary Letter of Credit to release funds to the manufacturer only after modules have been delivered into a PVBuyer or client controlled warehouse. In some cases, the manufacturer and the client have executed a Power of Attorney with PVBuyer to act as an independent 3rd party to verify that the modules have been received in good order at a US warehouse before payments on the LC are released.

PVB-L: Product Logistics – Ocean
PVBuyer’s partnership with Marubeni Transport Services (MTS), the logistics arm of Japanese trading company, Marubeni, allows us to offer Chinese factory door to jobsite delivery service. PVBuyer can manage inland transportation to the port in China, ocean transit and insurance, customs clearance, Drayage from Port, Warehousing, Product Staging, and Delivery to the client’s warehouse or jobsite within a 2 hour timeframe.

PVB-CU: Customs Clearance
Because our logistics partner Marubeni Transport Services is registered C-TPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) with US customs, customs clearance runs very quickly and smoothly. We understand now that most modules are sold DDP and are custom cleared by the manufacturers, but this customs clearance service comes in very handy if you are importing modules, steel ground mount structures or cabling from overseas and need to meet strict construction deadlines.

PV-WH: US Warehousing and Staging of Modules
PVBuyer arranges US warehousing and staging of modules near construction jobsites at below market pricing. Once product is staged, PVBuyer works with your EPC to arrange delivery to the jobsite to minimize the time spent by the product sitting at the jobsite and to optimize the installation time frame.

PVB-TR: US Truck Delivery to jobsite within 2 hour timeframe
PVBuyer can arrange delivery to the client’s warehouse or jobsite within a 2 hour time frame within the continental United States, reducing the costs of laborer crews waiting on product to be received for installation and optimizing the installation time.

PVB-OM: Supply of Replacement modules for life of project
PVBuyer can source and deliver out of date and out of production replacement modules and inverters for the lifespan of the project.