Why Re-create the Wheel?

Collaboration, vision, and networking come easily to the Department of Energy (DOE) Financial Technical Assistance Program (TAP) team. TAP’s objective is to support state, local, and tribal government decision makers and planners when they receive State Energy Program (SEP) and Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds. The TAP team’s expertise and resources offer grantees a one-stop shop for locating the information they need to implement timely, successful, and sustainable clean energy programs.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) recently benefited from the TAP team’s work and assistance. Last year, the ADECA Energy Division contacted TAP for help in compiling a Third-Party Administrator (TPA) agreement for its new $25 million Energy Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), made available to the state by DOE as part of the 2009 Recovery Act. ADECA had conducted a competitive solicitation for a third-party entity to develop, market, and administer the RLF. As staff prepared to enter the contracting process with the selected firm, ADECA reached out to the financial experts in DOE’s Technical Assistance Program. ADECA requested TAP’s assistance in obtaining examples of similar TPA agreements that other states and municipalities use.

TAP’s financial team came through, providing the requested advice and locating similar existing TPA agreements, which provided useful templates for appropriate contract details. TAP’s expert guidance and the examples the team provided helped ADECA and the selected administrative firm, Abundant Power Solutions, submit a thorough agreement that met the submission deadline to the state’s Oversight Committee. As a result, AlabamaSAVES (Sustainable and Verifiable Energy Savings) became the state’s first energy-based revolving loan program. This program is designed to help businesses make upgrades that save energy, reduce operating expenses, and create work opportunities for state residents.

Please share how TAP has supported energy-efficiency efforts in your state or community. For financial questions on clean energy programs in your jurisdiction, please provide a comment to this post or contact a technical expert for assistance.

Content for this Blog post courtesy of The Cadmus Group