Comprehensive Utility Energy Service Contract In-Person Training

Upon completion of the first day of this course, attendees will be able to:

• Describe the basis of the UESC authority as a tool for achieving energy and cost savings at federal facilities.
   
• Identify unique characteristics of UESC projects, including allowable energy conservation measures, performance assurance/measurement and verification, and funding/financing considerations.
   
• Describe common UESC contracting options and the process for leveraging U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) areawide contracts to streamline the contracting process.
   
• Develop an acquisition plan and scope of work that sets up a UESC for success and maximizes potential to meet energy, water, and decarbonization goals.
   
• Explain how and why agencies may contract with a serving utility without full and open competition, and what needs to be documented in the contract file.
   
• Describe key components of the project development process, including best practices for conducting preliminary assessments and detailed investment-grade audits.

Upon completion of the second day of this course, attendees will be able to:

• Identify responsibilities for tracking and reporting UESC data.
   
• Describe best practices for reviewing investment-grade audits and project proposals.
   
• Identify the fundamental elements of a performance assurance plan and how it's used to ensure long-term project savings and performance.
   
• Identify the contracting officer's role in determining fair and reasonable pricing and methods for reviewing price proposals.
   
• Be able to discuss how UESC projects are financed and strategies to ensure best value for the government.
   
• Explain the requirements and process for verifying performance through commissioning and measurement and verification (M&V).
   
• Leverage resources FEMP makes available to help agencies implement successful UESC projects.

Tracy Niro is the utility program manager at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP).

Tracy is a recognized expert in energy policy, federal utility service contracting, and utility energy service contracts. She also oversees electric and natural gas utility acquisitions for DOE sites nationwide and serves as the chair of the Federal Utility Partnership Working Group.

Tracy was a 2009 Presidential Management Fellow, has completed detail assignments to the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the International Energy Agency, and was awarded a Fulbright Professional Scholarship to conduct energy research in Australia.

Tracy began her career as a staff accountant for an investor-owned utility and has 20 years of experience in the energy industry including past experience leading the FEMP Power Purchase Agreement Program and serving as coordinator for floating offshore wind regulation in Hawaii at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Chandra Shah is a senior project leader at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

She has been supporting the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) since 1998—helping agencies purchase off-site renewable energy, implement distributed energy projects, and achieve energy/water goals through utility energy service contracts (UESC) and other utility partnerships.

Chandra is a co-author of the Energy Savings Performance Contract Energy Sales Agreements (ESPC ESA) Toolkit and other ESPC ESA templates.

She is a CEM and holds an M.B.A. from the University of Washington and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Jeff Gingrich manages program and training development for the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Utility Team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

He is an advisor in supporting the development of utility energy service contract (UESC) projects and develops resources and curricula for the internationally accredited UESC training courses for federal agencies and regulated utilities. In addition, Jeff supports a portfolio of projects at NREL that include energy savings performance contracts and Integrated Urban Services in the ASEAN region.

John works for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), providing training, technical analysis, and support for the Federal Energy Management Program in the areas of performance contracting and distributed energy procurement.

Prior to joining NREL, John served as a construction manager and public works operations manager in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps and as a mechanical engineer for the General Services Administration's Region 9 in San Francisco.

Matt works as a project manager in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Project Development and Finance Group within the Accelerated Deployment and Decision Support Center. His work is primarily focused on supporting the Federal Energy Management Program in performance contracting and distributed energy procurement.

Prior to joining NREL, Matt was an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and worked as a construction project manager with NORESCO. He has experience overseeing and managing projects that include building management system and HVAC control upgrades, LED lighting retrofits, boiler and chiller installations, and combined heat and power plant build outs.

Russ Dominy is an experienced acquisition professional having served as the former acquisition director/chief of contracts office at NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center. Russ was the department head responsible for overall management of 50 employees, including 40 contracting personnel.

Russ also has held positions as the supervisory contracting officer, procurement contracting officer (PCO), administrative contracting officer, contract specialist, acquisition manager, and contracting officer representative. Russ served as the PCO and source selection authority for all large contract actions including over $1B in ESPC contracts. Russ was responsible for Command Government Commercial purchase card consisting of more than $2 million in transactions annually.