RECs Scope of Work.pdf

Statement of Work Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) Purchase

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration US Department of Commerce

A. Background and Objectives

The mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts; to share knowledge and information with others; and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. To accomplish its mission, NOAA has established over 700 facility site locations supporting a variety of activities and operations conducted by NOAA personnel across the United States and its territories.

The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO) is a major staff office within NOAA with management functions in four major programmatic areas: (1) administrative programs, (2) facilities programs; (3) safety and security programs; and (4) assets. OCAO is chiefly responsible for NOAA-wide technical, programmatic guidance, and staff support to NOAA in the areas of Real Property Management, Logistics Management, Facilities Operations, Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity, and Directives and Administrative Programs.

The Safety and Environmental Compliance Office (SECO) establishes NOAA policy and provides guidance, and oversight in the areas of Environmental Compliance; Safety and Occupational Health; and Energy Management and Sustainability to ensure compliance with regulatory, internal, and other requirements and to drive toward continuous improvement in Safety, Occupational Health, Environment, and Sustainability performance.

Since NOAA does not have the ability to produce (on-site) the required Clean Energy and Renewable Electricity targets, NOAA will purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), also known as Renewable Energy Credits. The quantity to be purchased is 7.50% of the projected FY 2020 consumption which is 14,000 MWh.

B. Scope The vendor shall provide RECs that meet the requirements as outlined in Federal Renewable Energy Certificate Guide (dated June 16, 2016; published by the Office of Federal Sustainability Council on Environmental Quality). Accordingly, per Section 4 of the Guide, the requirements below are to be met for the RECs provided:

1. Renewable Resource – Electricity must have been generated by solar or wind only

2. REC Vintage – As consistent with EPA’s Green Power Partnership, electricity must have been produced between April 1, 2018, and January 1, 2021.”

3. Placed in Service Date – The renewable generator (e.g., the wind farm or solar array) associated with a purchased REC (bundled with electricity or separate) must have been placed in service no more than 10 years prior to the fiscal year 2020 which is on or after October 1, 2009. Exceptions to this Placed in Service Date requirement are briefly discussed in Section 4.

4. Location – As consistent with EPA’s Green Power Partnership, the renewable generator must be located in the United States, Tribal Land, or U.S. Territories.

5. Bonus Credit: Consistent with current statute (42 U.S.C. § 15852(c)), and previous Federal policy on renewable electricity, a bonus equivalent to doubling the amount of renewable electric energy used or purchased is available for any renewable electric energy that was generated on a Federal facility or on Federal or Tribal land and used at a Federal facility (as demonstrated by RECs, third-party audit, or agency records).

Projects that convert renewable fuels, such as biomass, into useful electric energy will be considered on-site projects that can qualify for the bonus if the primary equipment for converting the fuel to usable energy is located on Federal or Indian lands, even if all or a portion of the fuel is delivered from non-Federal lands (see 42 U.S.C. § 15852(c)). Note that RECs purchased from projects located on Federal or Tribal lands are not exempt from the Placed in Service Date requirement.

C. Government Contact Point

To be identified at time of award US Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1305 East West Hwy Silver Spring, MD 20910