The Old Forge School District is seeking bids from companies to install a solar array on district property.

Usource, the district’s consulting firm on the project, seeks bids from companies to design, permit, interconnect, install, commission and maintain the ground-mounted solar panel system that will be located at the current Billy Long Sports Complex.

Companies that submit a bid should have experience installing solar systems, have relationships with local utilities, be familiar with solar regulations, provide a financial analysis, perform maintenance on the system and have a monitoring system for energy generated from the system, according to the request.

District officials are looking to relocate the current athletic complex to an area behind Old Forge Elementary School known as the Pit to put up the panels, which an analysis by Usource found could save the district $105,000 a year in electric costs. They would occupy 82,000 square feet of the approximately 100,000-square-foot complex.

Superintendent Christopher Gatto previously said the project’s cost won’t be known until the requests are received and voted on. The district received a $400,000 grant through the Solar for Schools program in the spring to install the panels.

The Billy Long Sports Complex is used as a practice field for boys and girls varsity soccer, junior high school soccer and by the junior high soccer program for league soccer games in the fall, and for junior high school baseball practice and games in the spring. The Pit is used for football and soccer practice.

Gatto created the Old Forge Blue Devils Athletic Facilities Revitalization Committee to review all district-owned athletic facilities, develop a long-term improvement plan and raise funds.

Responding companies must have a safety plan for the solar farm’s construction, comply with local, state and federal laws for solar installation and provide proof of insurance. In addition, the company selected needs to assess the site’s topography, have fencing, vegetation and stormwater management plans, and secure all permits and approvals.

Proposals are due in February and officials hope to award a contract in March. Gatto hopes to break ground on the site in June, after the baseball season wraps up, in order to receive federal tax rebates.