Section 45A.352 - Guaranteed energy savings contracts involving local public agencies(1) A local public agency may enter into a guaranteed energy savings contract for innovative solutions for energy conservation measures. The local public agency shall submit a request for proposals. The request for proposals for competitive procurement of guaranteed energy savings contracts shall include the following: (a) The name and address of the governmental unit;(b) The name, address, title, and phone number of a contact person;(c) Notice indicating that the local public agency is requesting qualified providers to propose energy conservation measures through a guaranteed energy savings contract;(d) The following evaluation criteria for assessing the proposals:1. Construction management capabilities;2. Technical approach to facilities included;3. Financial attributes, as defined by total cost of contract and guaranteed savings and provider's financial strength demonstrating ability to fulfill the guarantee term; and4. Provider's capability, personnel, track record, and demonstrated ability to accomplish the contract;(e) The date, time, and place where proposals must be received;(f) Any other stipulations and clarifications the local public agency may require; and(g) An overview prepared by the local public agency stating goals or objectives specific to facility needs to be considered by the qualified providers who are responding to the request. Detailed scope of construction is not required.(2) Respondents to the request for proposal shall provide the following:(a) A detailed list of the proposed energy conservation measures and the guaranteed savings which shall be supported with calculations. Any guaranteed energy and operational savings shall be determined by using one of the measurement and verification methodologies listed in the United States Department of Energy's "Measurement and Verification Guideline for Federal Energy Projects" or in the "North American Energy Measurement and Verification Protocol." If due to existing data limitations or the nonconformance of specific project characteristics, none of the methods listed in either the United States Department of Energy's "Measurement and Verification Guideline for Federal Energy Projects" or in the "North American Energy Measurement and Verification Protocol" is sufficient for measuring guaranteed savings, the qualified provider shall develop an alternate method that is compatible with one (1) of the two (2);(b) The estimated cost of the proposed energy conservation measures including engineering, construction, commissioning, measurement and verification, annual reconciliation statements, and required on-going services; and(c) Proposed method and costs of financing.(3) The value for total cost of the contract minus the calculated savings from the energy conservation measures listed in the qualified provider's proposal, shall be within fifteen percent (15%) of the value for the total cost of the contract minus the calculated savings after the final contract has been negotiated. If the difference between the proposed and the final contract is not within fifteen percent (15%) and the local public agency and the qualified provider are unable to renegotiate the final contract to reconcile the difference between the proposed and final contract values, then the local public agency may:(a) Stop negotiations with the current qualified provider; and(b) Select an alternate provider.(4) The local public agency may, as a component of the request for proposal, solicit and negotiate additional maintenance services for the affected proposed energy conservation measures. Additional services shall be subject to budget appropriations on an annual basis and may be discontinued at any time over the guarantee period with no negative impact to the guaranteed savings contract.(5) The local public agency shall utilize the request for proposal process to enter into a guaranteed energy savings contract. The local public agency may, at its discretion, utilize a request for qualifications, provided that the local public agency solicits qualification statements from multiple potentially qualified providers. The local public agency shall use the qualification statements to select no fewer than two (2) providers and each provider shall then be subject to the request-for-proposal requirement provided in subsections (1) to (4) of this section.(6) The local public agency shall select the provider best qualified to meet its needs. The local public agency shall provide public notice of the meeting at which it proposes to award a guaranteed energy savings contract, the name of the parties to the proposed contract, and the purpose of the contract. The public notice shall be made at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting. After reviewing the proposals, a local public agency may enter into a guaranteed energy savings contract with a qualified provider if it finds that the amount it would spend on the energy conservation measures recommended in the proposal would not exceed the amount to be saved in either energy or operational costs plus capital cost avoidance within the term of the contract from the date of installation, if the recommendations in the proposal are followed.(7) The guaranteed energy savings contract shall include a written guarantee of the qualified provider that either the energy or operational costs savings plus capital cost avoidance will meet or exceed the costs of the energy conservation measures within the term of the contract. The qualified provider shall, on an annual basis, reimburse the local public agency for any shortfall in guaranteed energy savings projected in the contract. A qualified provider shall provide a sufficient bond to the local public agency for the installation and the faithful performance of all the measures included in the contract. The guaranteed energy savings contract may provide for payments over a period of time, not to exceed the term of the contract.(8) The qualified provider shall provide the local public agency with an annual reconciliation statement. The statement shall disclose any shortfalls or surplus between guaranteed energy and operational savings specified in the guaranteed energy savings contract and actual energy and operational savings incurred during a given guarantee year. The guarantee year shall consist of a twelve (12) month term commencing from the time that the energy conservation measures became fully operational. The qualified provider shall pay the local public agency any short fall in the guaranteed energy and operation savings within thirty (30) days after the total year savings have been determined. If there is a surplus in the actual guaranteed energy and operational savings in a given year, that surplus savings may be carried forward and applied against any possible savings shortfall in the following guarantee year, except that the surplus carried forward is limited to a period not to exceed one (1) year. If the qualified provider pays the local public agency for a short fall in energy or operational savings incurred during a given guarantee year and there is a surplus in energy or operational savings in future guarantee years, the qualified provider shall bill the local public agency for an amount not to exceed the amount of the short fall in the given guarantee year.(9) The use of capital cost avoidance shall be subject to the following restrictions:(a) The amount expended shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the project cost; and(b) Capital cost avoidance shall be restricted to payment for permanent equipment replacement as follows: 1. Storm windows or doors, multiglazed windows or doors, additional glazing, and reduction in glass area;2. Replacement of heating, ventilating, or air conditioning major components or systems;3. New lighting fixtures where required to achieve Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) standards, provided the existing light fixtures shall have been determined to be obsolete and incapable of achieving IES standards; and4. Life safety system replacements or upgrades which shall have been determined to be necessary to conform with existing state and local codes and standards.(10) The commissioner of education shall review, and approve or disapprove projects from local school districts relating to energy conservation measures under a guaranteed energy savings contract, on the basis of the following guidelines:(a) The project design's compliance with technical, health, and safety standards as required by administrative regulation;(b) The availability of general funds, capital outlay allotments under KRS 157.420 or local and state funds from the Facilities Support Program of Kentucky as provided by KRS 157.440, for projects that will use capital cost avoidance;(c) The appropriate use of capital outlay allotments under KRS 157.420, local and state funds from the Facilities Support Program of Kentucky as provided by KRS 157.440, for projects using capital cost avoidance, based on the project's compliance with the district's approved facility plan;(d) The funding capability of the school district; and(e) The financing mechanism and proper financing documentation.(11) The request for proposal as provided in subsections (1) to (4) of this section shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements set out in KRS 162.070, and shall not be subject to an award determination based on the lowest competitive bid or a separate bidding process for each energy conservation measure listed in the proposal.(12) A guaranteed energy savings contract that does not involve construction or the installation of physical improvements shall not require the approval of the commissioner of education and shall not be subject to other requirements of this section.Effective:6/26/2007
Amended 2007, Ky. Acts ch. 122, sec. 3, effective6/26/2007. -- Amended 1998, Ky. Acts ch. 375, sec. 3, effective 7/15/1998. -- Created 1996, Ky. Acts ch. 203, sec. 3, effective 7/15/1996.