Bill > S858

This bill, the Energy Savings Through Public-Private Partnerships Act of 2015, aims to boost the use of performance contracting in federal facilities to improve energy efficiency. Performance contracting, also known as energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) and utility energy service contracts (UESCs), allows federal agencies to partner with private companies to upgrade buildings for energy savings without upfront government spending; the private company finances the project, and the savings generated from reduced energy use pay back the investment. The bill amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to require federal agencies to report more detailed information on their ESPCs and UESCs, including investment value, guaranteed versus actual savings, and plans for future contracts, and to explain why any previously submitted contract plans were not implemented. It also clarifies the definition of energy conservation measures to include energy-consuming devices and related structures, and allows federal agencies to sell or transfer energy savings and apply the proceeds to fund these contracts, as well as to recognize savings from modernized systems and revenue from energy or water reduction, rebates, and credits.