WASHINGTON –
For the fifth consecutive year, Defense Logistics Agency Energy employees earned Federal Energy and Water Management Awards for their contributions to energy and water efficiency and resilience within the federal government.
The Department of Energy announced the 2020 awards in early December recognizing federal employees for career exceptional service, contracting, program and project management.
Installation Energy Contracting Officer Jacob Vigil earned two awards. He was selected for an individual contracting award for his achievements under DLA Energy’s energy savings performance contract program. During fiscal 2019, he executed 35% of the total ESPCs awarded under the Department of Energy’s Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract. The awarded projects, together valued at $616.8 million, will provide more than $272 million in third party investment for more than 49 energy conservation and resiliency measures for Air Force installations located in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Japan.
The awarded projects will result in almost 519 billion British Thermal Units in annual energy savings, representing a 24% reduction in total energy savings. The project awards also include almost 22 million kWh in electricity savings per year from the implementation of new on-site renewable energy generation and will result in annual cost savings of more than $23 million.
Additionally, Vigil was recognized as part of the Air Force team that earned a Contracting Award for a $206 million ESPC project at Misawa Air Base, Japan, that will include resilient energy conservation measures such as a smart grid, solar arrays, and a cogeneration power plant capable of generating 6.2 megawatts of power and 83,000 lbs/hour of steam. The project includes construction of a new liquefied natural gas, or LNG, facility capable of providing six days-worth of fuel in the event of a power disruption. The new generation plant is estimated to cut energy waste by 20% across 679 buildings, generate 70% of the peak electrical demand, and reduce 60% of the annual electrical load.
DLA Energy was also recognized for its ESPC partnership with the Navy on the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The 25-year, $828.8 million project is the largest ESPC ever awarded in Department of Defense and Navy history. The completed effort will utilize liquefied natural gas to power a new dual fuel combined cycle power plant that will serve the entire installation. The project will decrease annual installation energy by about 27.4%, which equates to a 0.87% decrease in facility energy consumption for the entire Navy.
DLA Energy contracting specialists assisted with negotiations on the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay LNG contract. As Head of the Contracting Authority, Gabriella Earhardt was recognized as our champion for the effort but several DLA Energy team members were involved. Cindy Ralph, Chris Archer, Mark Warno, Paul Rossi, Louise Hansen and Yev Malashenok contributions help ensure successful execution of this unique, first-time contract award.
“I’m thrilled to see the accomplishments and efforts of our employees being recognized across the federal sector!” said DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Jimmy Canlas. “Congrats to you all!”
DLA is planning to acknowledge the winners during its 53rd Annual Employee Recognition Program and the Department of Energy and is exploring options to recognize, honor, and showcase the award-winning efforts in Spring 2021.