U.S. Chamber Supports DOE Action to Expand Energy Efficiency Contracts

Program Will Help Government Reduce Energy by Thirty Percent

WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today welcomed the Department of Energy's decision to release the names of the 16 contractors qualified to bid on $80 billion of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC), or "recompete" contracts.

"This move will go a long way toward expanding the list of companies who can participate in these contracts," said Bill Kovacs, the U.S. Chamber's vice president of Environment, Technology, and Regulatory Affairs.

"This decision is a win-win for the government and the private sector because these energy saving programs will generate new jobs while making federal buildings more efficient," he said. "We praise the Bush administration and the DOE for taking a significant step forward on energy efficiency."

The decision is a step toward enabling federal agencies to reduce their energy use by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2015, as mandated by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. Expanding this list of contractors provides a critical mass of private sector companies to manage the task of making federal buildings more energy efficient.

"This is good news for taxpayers because this program won't cost the government a penny," Kovacs said. "Private sector contractors undertake the renovations on their own and are paid by the government from the funds saved on energy costs."

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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