’
Federal Contracting
Opportunities for
Small and Minority-
owned Businesses
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal
Energy Management Program (FEMP)
works with other federal agencies to
help them implement energy efficiency
and renewable energy projects at their
facilities, including support for perfor-
mance contracts that allow agencies
to leverage private-sector financing
with no up-front capital costs. FEMP is
seeking to increase small business and
minority-owned contractor opportunities
to participate in performance contract
projects implemented by federal agencies,
as well as state and local governments.
Performance contracts include energy
savings performance contracts (ESPCs)
and utility energy service contracts (UESCs).
National Aeronautics and Space Administration s Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, California
Opportunities for Small and
Minority-Owned Contractors
Small and minority-owned businesses
may nd opportunities working as
subcontractors to DOE-approved ESCOs
or utilities, serving as the primary ESCOs
on smaller projects, or serving as project
facilitators (experienced, unbiased
advisors who guide the federal agency
acquisition team through the project
development and implementation process
by providing technical and nancial
advice).
Performance Contract Types
An ESPC is a partnership between a federal agency and an energy service company
(ESCO). After being selected for a potential award, the ESCO conducts a comprehensive
facility energy audit and identifies improvements to save energy. In consultation with
the agency, the ESCO designs and constructs a project that meets the agency’s needs
and arranges financing to pay for the project.
FEMP’s ESPC ENABLE program offers a standardized and streamlined process to
install targeted energy conservation measures such as lighting, water fixtures, basic
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls, simple HVAC system
replacement, and solar photovoltaics. Although there is no size restriction, ENABLE is
suitable for smaller facilities--such as those less than 200,000 square feet--or for sites
where ENABLE may present the best or only funding option.
A UESC is a limited-source contract between a federal agency and its serving utility for
energy- and water-efficiency improvements and demand-reduction services.
Only companies approved to be on
DOE’s Qualied List of ESCOs are
eligible to compete for ESPCs with
federal agencies. Subsequent application
to ESPC or ENABLE eligible listings are
required before ESCOs can compete for
federal projects.
At the federal level, FEMP is seeking
small/minority contractor participation in
the following areas:
• Subcontractors to ESCOs under ESPCs
and ESPC ENABLE, or to utilities
under UESCs, performing some or all
of the following services:
- Analysis/savings estimates
- Design
- Implementation/construction
- Operations and maintenance training
- Turnkey services
• Project Facilitators (Owner’s
Representatives)
• DOE’s Qualied List of ESCOs
• ENABLE Contractors (suitable for
smaller projects, e.g., $200,000
- $20,000,000)
ESPCs and UESCs present
opportunities for companies with
expertise in the following areas:
• Boiler and chiller plants
• Energy management control systems
• Building envelope
• HVAC
• Chilled/hot water and steam
distribution
• Lighting
• Electric motors/drives
• Refrigeration
• Distributed generation
• Renewable energy
• Energy/utility distribution
• Water and wastewater
• Electrical peak shaving/load shifting
• Rate adjustments
• Energy-related process improvements
• Commissioning
• Advanced metering
• Appliance/plug load reductions
• Other
Marine Corps Logistics Base
Albany, Georgia
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Take the Next Steps
• Reach out to ESCOs already on
approved lists for ESPC and ENABLE:
https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/
energy-service-companies-0
• Apply to become a DOE Qualied
ESCO: https://www.energy.gov/eere/
femp/doe-qualied-energy-service-
companies; applications are accepted
by DOE throughout the year.
• Learn more about the types of contracts
you can participate in:
- ESPCs: https://www.energy.
gov/eere/femp/energy-savings-
performance-contracts-federal-
agencies
- ESPC ENABLE: https://www.
energy.gov/eere/femp/energy-
savings-performance-contract-
enable-federal-projects
- UESCs: https://www.energy.gov/
eere/femp/utility-energy-service-
contracts-federal-agencies
• Learn more about Project Facilitators:
https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/
project-facilitators-federal-espc-uesc-
and-espc-enable-projects
• Attend upcoming events: https://
www7.eere.energy.gov/femp/training/
training-calendar
For more information, visit:
energy.gov/eere/femp
DOE/EE-2083 • July 2020