Electrical Panel Upgrade RFP Template
Service upgrade or main panel replacement for commercial or multi-unit buildings.
Your existing electrical service is undersized, aging, or required for a building expansion / EV charging / new tenant. Common in older commercial and multi-unit residential buildings.
Sample RFP title & summary
What auto-fills when you click “Use this template” — you can edit anything.
Electrical Panel / Service Upgrade — [Property Name]
Upgrade existing [X]A main electrical service to [X]A at our [property type]. Includes new main panel, utility coordination, and any required sub-panel work.
Scope of work
Scope of work: - Engineering / design (or coordination with our consulting engineer). - Utility coordination for service upgrade (LDC connection / metering). - Decommission existing main panel. - Supply and install new [X]A main panel with appropriate breaker configuration. - Supply and install [#] new sub-panels (if required). - New service conductors from utility connection to panel. - All grounding and bonding per Canadian Electrical Code. - ESA / provincial inspection coordination and certificate. - Permits. - Tenant downtime: managed to under [X] hours; after-hours work if needed (disclose premium). Add-alternates: - New sub-panels per floor / per area. - EV charging panel + circuit allowance. - Generator transfer switch. - Surge protection.
Standard requirements
- Master electrician on staff. - ESA-licensed contractor (Ontario) or provincial equivalent. - $5M general liability insurance. - WSIB clearance. - Three references for similar service upgrades in the last 24 months. - Plan for managing tenant power outage during cut-over. - Coordination with local utility and building inspector.
Suggested timeline
- 1
RFP open
30 days.
- 2
Site walk
Top 3 bidders walk site with engineer.
- 3
Award
Within 2 weeks of site walks.
- 4
Permit + utility lead time
Typically 4–12 weeks for service upgrade approval.
- 5
Installation
Cut-over typically 1 evening / weekend; full project 4–6 weeks.
Site access & logistics
Main electrical room access via [location]. Cut-over to be scheduled off-hours to minimize tenant impact.
Questions every bidder should answer
Ask all bidders the same questions so you get apples-to-apples responses.
- What's the engineering / permit cost, and is it included?
- What's the lead time from award to utility cut-over?
- How will you manage tenant power outage?
- Per-unit cost for additional sub-panels (add-alts)?
- What ESA / inspection costs are included?
Evaluation criteria
How you’ll weigh bids when you receive them.
- 1.Total installed cost.
- 2.Engineering / utility coordination quality.
- 3.Tenant downtime plan.
- 4.References for similar service upgrades.
- 5.Master electrician and crew experience.
How much does commercial electrical work cost in Canada
Read what a typical electrical job runs in Canada before you post — so you know the budget range to expect.
Trades who match this work
Once you post, these are the kind of vendors who’ll see your RFP and express interest.
Common questions
PMRFP is a vendor discovery and RFP visibility platform. We do not guarantee project availability, bid success, contract awards, property manager response, or revenue. Members are responsible for their own due diligence, qualifications, insurance, licensing, pricing, and agreements.
Ready to post your electrical RFP?
Click below to start with the Electrical Panel Upgrade template pre-filled. Customize anything that doesn't fit your project and post free.