DEP-BPE-noia-2026-best value grant-cerp-town of orange

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), operating on behalf of its Clean Energy Results Program (CERP) in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, is issuing a Notice of Intent to Award (NOIA) a Best Value Grant to the Town of Orange in Franklin County. This is an announcement-only procurement with no competitive bidding process, as the project is substantially underway and nearing completion following a prior Gap III Energy Grant Program award issued in 2022. The procurement involves funding for energy efficiency upgrades to the town's wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) aeration system, specifically the replacement of two 50-horsepower positive displacement blowers with energy-efficient 35-horsepower hybrid mixer/turbo blowers to address the facility's largest energy consumption source. The project objectives include achieving annual electricity cost savings of approximately $15,059 and reducing annual energy consumption by 77,701 kilowatt-hours, thereby reducing the town's carbon footprint while protecting the Commonwealth's prior investment. The original contract expiration date of October 31, 2025, has been extended to April 30, 2026, to allow the town to complete work that was delayed due to pre-construction design challenges and public procurement processes. The notice was posted on December 8, 2025, with a counter-proposal submission deadline of December 19, 2025. The grant award amount is $188,345.

The Town of Orange, a public municipal entity, is the designated recipient of this Best Value Grant award, reflecting CERP's focus on assisting eligible public entities in implementing energy efficiency and clean energy projects that reduce operating costs and stimulate local economies. No competitive bidding process is required for this procurement, as MassDEP has determined that issuing a streamlined Best Value Grant represents an efficient use of administrative resources while completing a substantially advanced project. The grant funding is provided through CERP's Gap Energy Grant Program, which supports municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses in implementing qualifying energy efficiency initiatives. There are no listed incumbent vendors or current contractors specified in the procurement documents, nor are there specific disadvantaged enterprise set-asides mentioned for this award. The total grant award value is $188,345, designated solely for the Town of Orange's wastewater treatment facility aeration system energy efficiency upgrade project with a completion deadline of April 30, 2026.