checklist
Cooling and power RFI checklist
A practical request-for-information checklist for data centre cooling and power equipment, covering supplier status, product shipping status, CDU and liquid cooling details, heat rejection, power and backup, and commercial terms, so bids can be compared on the same basis.
Company and status
- Legal entity, parent company and any pending acquisition or sale - Recent insolvency, restructuring or asset sale, and who holds warranties - Manufacturing locations for the quoted items - Service teams, spares stock and response times in the project country
Product status
- Is the item prototype, announced, orderable or shipping - Number of units in operation and reference sites in a similar climate - Date of first shipment for new models
CDU and liquid cooling
- Capacity at your stated ATD, flow per kW, fluid and supply temperatures - Pump and filter redundancy, hot-swap capability - Filtration grade, wetted materials and approved coolants - Leak detection and isolation method - Control protocols and group control - Quick disconnect type and compatibility with the IT platform - Responsibility for flushing, fluid sampling and treatment
Heat rejection and chillers
- Rating ambient, fluid temperatures and part load data - Fan and compressor power at design and part load - Annual water use at the site climate - Noise at a stated distance - Refrigerant type and its regulatory outlook - Free cooling and heat reuse temperature options
Power and backup
- Rating basis (kW vs kVA, standby vs continuous duty) - Battery chemistry, runtime at stated load and fire test evidence - Genset fuel options, emissions permits and step load acceptance - Lead time for transformers and switchgear by factory - Applicable standards (IEC or UL) and type tests - Readiness for 800 VDC and how the product status is stated
Commercial and compliance
- Lead time and delivery terms - Factory acceptance test scope and witness options - Commissioning scope and documentation - Certifications actually held, with certificate numbers - Data needed for EU or German energy reporting where relevant
How to use it
Send the same questions to every bidder and ask for answers with a document reference. Treat a blank answer as not disclosed and follow up. Do not score claims that the bidder cannot support with a datasheet, test report or certificate.