The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) provides acquisition guidance for residential electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), a product category covered by ENERGY STAR efficiency requirements. Federal laws and requirements mandate that agencies purchase ENERGY STAR-qualified products or FEMP-designated products in all product categories covered by these programs and in any acquisition actions that are not specifically exempted by law.
FEMP's acquisition guidance and associated ENERGY STAR efficiency requirements are technology neutral, meaning that one technology is not favored over another. However, ENERGY STAR's EVSE product specification requirements are limited to DC fast charging or AC Level 1 and Level 2 electric vehicle charging systems. Wireless/inductive chargers are excluded from ENERGY STAR’s EV Charger Specification.
This acquisition guidance was updated in June 2023.
Find Product Efficiency Requirements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides electric vehicle supply equipment efficiency levels and product specification information on its ENERGY STAR website. Manufacturers meeting these requirements are allowed to display the ENERGY STAR label on complying models. Get a list of ENERGY STAR-certified EVSE models.
Did you know?
A conventional EVSE system in standby mode can draw as much energy as a desktop computer.
Performance Column
Annual Energy Waste: Amount of energy drawn by the charging station but not delivered to the battery. This is calculated based on the assumptions in EVSE Specification package 1.1. These assumptions include a 10% annual utilization rate of a 50-kW charger.
Annual Energy Cost: Calculated based on an assumed electricity price of $0.099/kWh, which is the average electricity price at federal facilities throughout the United States. Learn more about Federal Government Energy/Water Use and Emissions.
Lifetime Energy Cost: Calculated as the sum of the discounted value of the annual energy cost over the assumed product life of 10 years, from ENERGY STAR Market and Industry Scoping Report. Future electricity price trends and a 3% discount rate are from Energy Price Indices and Discount Factors for Life-Cycle Cost Analysis – 2022 Annual Supplement to NIST Handbook 135 (NISTIR 85-3273-37 – Update 1).
Lifetime Cost Savings: The difference between the lifetime energy cost of the less efficient model and the lifetime energy cost of the ENERGY STAR model or best available model.
Best Available Model Column
Calculated based on the June 2023 ENERGY STAR-Qualified Products List. More efficient models may be introduced to the market after FEMP's acquisition guidance is posted.
Required Model Column
Calculated based on June 2023 ENERGY STAR efficiency levels. Federal agencies must purchase products that meet or exceed ENERGY STAR efficiency levels.
Base Model Column
The baseline of 90% efficient models is assumed in accordance with the June 2023 calculation of Energy Star-Qualified Products.
Determine When ENERGY STAR Products Are Cost-Effective
An efficient product is cost-effective when the lifetime energy savings (from avoided energy costs over the life of the product, discounted to present value) exceed the additional up-front cost (if any) compared to a less efficient option. ENERGY STAR considers up-front costs and lifetime energy savings when setting required efficiency levels. Federal purchasers can assume ENERGY STAR-qualified products and products that meet FEMP-designated efficiency requirements are life cycle cost-effective. In high-use applications or when energy rates are above the federal average, purchasers may save more if they specify products that exceed federal efficiency requirements (e.g., the best available model).
Purchasing Requirements
Federal laws and requirements mandate that agencies purchase ENERGY STAR-qualified products or FEMP-designated products in all product categories covered by these programs and in any acquisition actions that are not specifically exempted by law.
These mandatory requirements apply to all forms of procurement, including construction guide and project specifications; renovation, repair, energy service, and operation and maintenance (O&M) contracts; lease agreements; acquisitions made using purchase cards; and solicitations for offers.
FAR Contract Language
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 23.206 requires agencies to insert the clause at FAR section 52.223-15 into contracts and solicitations that deliver, acquire, furnish, or specify energy-consuming products for use in federal government facilities.
To comply with FAR requirements, FEMP recommends that agencies incorporate efficiency requirements into technical specifications, the evaluation criteria of solicitations, and the evaluations of solicitation responses.
Products meeting ENERGY STAR or FEMP-designated efficiency requirements may not be life cycle cost-effective in certain low-use applications or in locations with very low rates for electricity or natural gas. However, for most applications, purchasers will find that energy-efficient products have the lowest life cycle cost.
Agencies may claim an exception to federal purchasing requirements through a written finding that no FEMP-designated or ENERGY STAR-qualified product is available to meet functional requirements, or that no such product is life cycle cost-effective for the specific application. Learn more about federal product purchasing requirements.
Federal Supply Sources and Product Codes
The federal supply sources for energy-efficient products are the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provide programs that help federal agencies buy products with positive environmental attributes.
Identification codes for product categories covered by sustainable acquisition requirements are provided by DLA and the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC).
Under the Multiple Award Schedule program, GSA issues long-term governmentwide contracts that provide access to commercial products, services, and solutions at pre-negotiated pricing.
TAKE ACTION
- Review the Multiple Award Schedule program.
- Visit the GSA Advantage! online shopping network.
- Learn about efficient, healthy buildings and environmentally responsible purchasing from the Sustainable Facilities (SF) Tool.
- Review the Multiple Award Schedule program.
DLA offers products through the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia and online through FedMall (formerly DOD EMALL).
TAKE ACTION
- Visit FedMall.
Products sold through DLA are codified with a 13-digit National Stock Number (NSN) and, in some cases, a two-letter Environmental Attribute Code (ENAC). The ENAC identifies items that have positive environmental characteristics and meet standards set by an approved third party, such as FEMP and ENERGY STAR.
USDA's BioPreferred Program was created to increase the purchase and use of biobased products. Federal law, the FAR, and Presidential Executive Orders direct that all federal agencies and their contractors purchase biobased products in categories identified by USDA.
TAKE ACTION
EPA offers several resources for choosing which products to buy. The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program helps federal government purchasers utilize private sector standards and ecolabels to identify and procure environmentally preferable products and services.
TAKE ACTION
- Learn more about the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program.
- Review federal purchasing specifications, standards, and ecolabels.
- Get an overview of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) and procuring environmentally preferable electronic products.
- Learn more about the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program.
UNSPSC is a worldwide classification system for e-commerce. It contains more than 50,000 commodities, including many used in the federal sector, each with a unique eight-digit, four-level identification code. Manufacturers and vendors are beginning to adopt the UNSPSC classification convention and electronic procurement systems are beginning to include UNSPSC tracking in their software packages. UNSPSCs can help the federal acquisition community identify product categories covered by sustainable acquisition requirements, track purchases of products within those categories, and report on progress toward meeting sustainable acquisition goals.
TAKE ACTION
- Review FEMP's table of product codes for ENERGY STAR and FEMP-designated covered product categories.
EVSE Schedules and Product Codes
GSA offers electric vehicle supply equipment through Schedule 56 383 5 (Buildings and Building Materials, Industrial Services & Supplies – Batteries and Battery Chargers).
The UNSPSC for electric vehicle charging systems is 251750.
Buyer Tips: Make Informed Product Purchases
Before purchasing EVSE units, it is crucial to consider who you are serving with this purchase. If you are supporting EV commuting employees, consider whether they’d be better served by Level 1 or Level 2 charging stations, and the quantities you may need. For fleet support, optimized location of Level 2 chargers can reduce total EVSE requirements.
When purchasing Level 2 chargers, include all relevant stakeholders in the procurement process. There can be significant permitting and building code requirements for Level 2 charger installation. Maintenance, facilities management, and electrical professionals should all be consulted before installation locations are finalized, as Level 2 chargers require a higher voltage supply than standard outlets.
User Tips: Use Products More Efficiently
Level 1 EVSE plug into standard wall outlets and typically carry a charging time of 8 to 16 hours, so they don’t require rotation. Level 2 chargers, however, only take 4 to 6 hours for a full charge and typically cost more up front. With this charging time in mind, along with the potential scarcity of available Level 2 chargers, moving a vehicle once charged to open up availability of the charger can increase the efficiency of charger purchases. Some chargers come outfitted with network connectivity, which can report on the charge state of connected vehicles and provide remote power monitoring.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provided supporting analysis for this acquisition guidance.