Federal Projects
Contract specialist support during each phase of the energy performance contracting process or a la carte support.
Contracting officers often face competing priorities, multiple site contracts to manage, existing and potentially conflicting plans, and staff resource shortages, particularly in the field of third-party financing. Given their competing priorities, agencies frequently cite insufficient contracting resources as a major obstacle to embarking on a plan that incorporates performance contracting to address energy improvement and sustainability needs. As a result, some agencies may be interested in using FEMP assistance to obtain a contracting officer (CO/KO) subject matter expert (SME) to work closely with their staff on planning and implementing a PC project.
- Pre-award support, e.g., the building blocks of a project, planning your project, award methods of using the Department of Energy (DOE) indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract.
- Award-phase support, e.g., input into the negotiation and award of the task order, walk through for the expectations during the design and construction and project acceptance.
- Post-award support, e.g., contract administration during the performance period, handling special situations that may arise.
An agency may only be interested in contractual support during the performance period as it relates to understanding the contractual requirements, the measurement and verification roles and responsibilities, or handling special situations like task order modifications. Support can include Reviewing the Preliminary Assessment and/or Investment Grade Audit, guidance on conducting a cost/price analysis, or guidance on setting up a centralized contracting office for performance contracts.
A Project Facilitator (PF) is used for a variety of unique situations. The federal agency is required to use a Project Facilitator if using the Department of Energy (DOE) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Contract. The agency may be in a situation where situational Project Facilitation support is desired and wants to choose from an a la carte menu.
Agencies are aware that an Interagency Agreement (IAA) with DOE is executed in order to acquire a DOE-approved PF for their project on a reimbursable basis. Agencies may also want to consider interim PF support during each phase of the performance contracting process. Here are a few examples:
- The IAA is in process but the agency wants to get started with their preliminary assessment;
- Agencies are using an in-house PF and desire a second set of eyes;
- Agencies are using another performance contracting vehicle such as a utility energy service contract or an Energy Sales Agreement;
- The project is in the performance period phase and the agency has decided to do a modification to their contract or there is a question about their measurement and verification report.
Agencies may need program support for their energy performance contracting programs, e.g. a portfolio-level evaluation of their program/projects in accordance with their policy for these types of reviews and evaluations. Agencies may need support for a diverse energy performance contract program such as documentation, reporting, and marketing/outreach.
State/MUSH Projects
If you are a state and/or local government stakeholder, and/or municipality, university, school, and hospital (MUSH) market stakeholder pursuing performance contracting projects, get information or find out how to get started using best practices in developing and implementing your program or project.
States and MUSH markets may have individual rules, contracts, license requirements, procurement processes, authoritative bodies, commissions, and/or executive orders. Moreover, states and MUSH markets may vary in their energy performance contracting understanding, approach, use of tools, and execution. This business environment can affect an entity in getting started and can cause project cycle time to vary, depending on the stakeholder and vendor transparency. An Owner’s Representative (OR) can help you:
- Get started with an energy performance contract project
- Navigate the business climate to minimize delays.
- Assist in reviewing individual vendor documents from the engineering and contracting perspectives to help provide input to strengthen the project, e.g., financial/price proposals, baselines calculations, etc.
- Provide advice on and/or review of complete measurement and verification plans and reports, project acceptance, construction and performance periods.
- Evaluate training needs and applicable resources available from the Department of Energy and the Energy Services Coalition.
- Advise on the use of eProject Builder Express for maximum benefit.
- Advise on Department of Energy ESPC Campaign
State and local governments and MUSH markets may need program support for their energy performance contracting programs, e.g. a portfolio-level evaluation of their program/projects in accordance with their policy for these types of reviews and evaluations. State and local governments and MUSH markets may need support for a diverse energy performance contract program such as documentation, reporting, and marketing/outreach.
