[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66961-66962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-31317]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Federal Energy Management and Planning Programs; Energy Savings
Performance Contract Model Solicitations
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy gives notice of changes proposed for
its energy savings performance contract model solicitations. The
proposed approach will make it substantially simpler and easier for the
Federal Government to procure and administer energy savings performance
contracts. These changes provide the flexibility to purchase energy
savings through guaranteed equipment performance or energy savings
calculated through measured consumption data.
DATES: Comments should be received no later than January 26, 1996.
ADDRESSES: All written comments are to be submitted to: U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Federal Energy Management Programs, EE-92, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20595-0121. Fax and e-mail
comments will be accepted at (202) 586-3000 and
tanya.sadler@hq.doe.gov, respectively.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tanya Sadler, EE-92, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Federal Energy Management Programs, EE-92, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-7755.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 10, 1995 (60 FR 18326), the
Department of Energy (Department or DOE) published its notice of final
rulemaking for energy savings performance contracts required by section
801 of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8287).
The preamble to the rule referenced model solicitations which provide
uniform formats and standardized contract provisions recommended for
Federal agency use in energy savings performance contracts. DOE uses
these model solicitations in training workshops for agency technical
and procurement professionals.
The Department's objective is to simplify the model solicitations.
The overall goal is to streamline the energy savings performance
contracting process and implement more projects. In order to accomplish
these objectives, DOE recommends that the Government buy energy savings
through guaranteed equipment performance. The contractor will guarantee
the performance of the installed equipment; however, Federal agencies
will also have the option to verify actual energy savings in order to
determine contractor performance as provided by Federal Measurement and
Verification Protocols. DOE has been leading an effort in close
cooperation with industry to develop a national consensus industry
protocol to improve consistency, reliability, and performance of energy
efficiency installations. These Protocols will be available through the
Department's Federal Energy Management Program Help Desk at 1-800-566-
2877 in January 1996.
The model solicitations will place a new emphasis on measuring
equipment performance or actual energy savings. The proposed changes
include:
Baselines. The initial baseline condition is the reference from
which the contractor's performance will be verified throughout the life
of the project. Adjustments for changes in usage (e.g., occupancy,
weather, etc.) generally will not be made during the payback term, when
equipment performance is guaranteed.
Guaranteed Savings. Guaranteed savings is redefined to mean: (1)
Cost savings based on guaranteed performance of energy conservation
equipment and stipulated factors (e.g., hours of operation); or (2)
actual cost savings which equal the measured cost of operation (pre-
energy conservation measure installation) minus the measured cost of
operation (post-energy conservation measure installation with baseline
adjustments as required).
Payments. Payments to the contractor will be based on the
Government's acceptance of equipment installation and continuation of
the guaranteed equipment performance as specified in the contract
(e.g., contractor continued compliance with measurement and
verification and operations and maintenance plans).
Technical/Price Proposal Evaluation Criteria. The technical
proposal may be weighted substantially more than the price proposal.
Five technical factors should generally be considered in evaluating
technical proposals:
Past Performance
Energy Conservation Measure Description and Savings
Management Approach
[[Page 66962]]
Measurement and Verification Plan
Operations and Maintenance
The proposed price will generally be evaluated for completeness,
reasonableness, and realism.
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the
Department's proposed changes to the energy savings performance
contracting model solicitations. Written comments should be submitted
to the address indicated in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Issued in Washington, D.C. on this 20th day of December 1995.
Christine A. Ervin,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 95-31317 Filed 12-26-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P