HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – The Air Force, in conjunction with the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy, solicited industry feedback in Boston May 15 via a Request for Information on a different way to manage and procure energy.
66th Civil Engineering Division officials announced earlier this year that the installation is one of two pilot sites selected to demonstrate Energy-as-a-Service.
The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure is piloting the program to better support Air Force installations in meeting their energy requirements.
“The goal of Energy-as-a-Service is to combine energy-related services that we currently complete under multiple contracts into a single contract,” said Dave Wong, Hanscom’s CE chief of engineering.
He added that it would allow CE to manage third party funding better when making improvements.
“Hanscom Air Force Base has contracts for the delivery of energy to the base, a separate contract for the commodity, and we operate and maintain the system with in-house forces and by contract,” said Wong. “In order to meet our energy reduction goals we plan, program, design, then construct projects to help us reduce our energy footprint.”
Air Force officials also selected Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, as a pilot site.
“With EaaS, the Air Force will leverage the expertise of those whose business is built around energy, allowing us the ability to define when and where we need power to carry out our mission,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure Mark A. Correll in a Request for Information article earlier this month. “Turning to industry to generate world-class thinking around this new approach to installation energy will help ensure the readiness and resilience of our bases.”
This action follows up on an earlier EaaS RFI, released by DLA-Energy in 2017, that gathered information on industry interest and business models for the EaaS concept. Since then, the Air Force has moved forward at Altus AFB by working directly with the local electric utility provider under a sole source arrangement.
Now, the Air Force is re-engaging with industry and exploring opportunities in this RFI to proceed with procurement for EaaS at Hanscom AFB through an eventual competitive solicitation.
"Given the electrical system configuration, high cost of power and status of ongoing initiatives at Hanscom, we believe the timing is perfect for an overall integration and optimization effort like EaaS,” said Col. Chad R. Ellsworth, installation commander. “We look forward to proceeding to the next step."
Additional support for the Hanscom AFB EaaS pilot initiative comes from the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force, which serves to protect and expand missions, jobs and economic investments at and surrounding Massachusetts' military installations.
For further information about EaaS, contact Wong at david.wong.7@us.af.mil.