The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, working with the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF), has awarded another 20 base contracts to companies in energy-related technologies. The awards are part of the $7 billion capacity, large-scale renewable and alternative energy power production Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC).

The 20 contracts are for the following technologies: solar (15), wind (3) and biomass (2). USACE has previously awarded 58 contracts for solar (22), wind (17), biomass (13), and geothermal (6).

“We are adding these additional companies to those already in the technology pools to ensure we have enough pre-qualified companies ready to submit proposals on task orders as they come up,” explained Col. Robert Ruch, commander, Huntsville Center. “Huntsville Center is doing everything we can to ensure task orders for future projects will be awarded as quickly as possible.”

This second round of MATOC awards is in keeping with the original August 2012 Request For Proposal (RFP) which allowed for immediate awards to firms within the competitive range and additional awards to firms that qualified after further evaluation by the government. The qualified MATOC companies will be eligible to bid on future renewable energy task orders. As renewable energy opportunities at Army installations are assessed and validated, Huntsville Center will issue a competitive task order Request for Proposal to the pre-qualified MATOC companies for the specific technologies.

The MATOC involves third-party financed renewable energy acquisitions and involves no Army or Department of Defense (DOD) capital, or Military Construction appropriation. The Army or DOD will purchase the power from contractors who own, operate and maintain the generating assets. The MATOC’s total estimated value of $7 billion capacity refers to the total dollar value of energy available for purchase under all Power Purchase Agreement task orders for their entire term (up to 30 years).

These contracts will support the Army’s achievement of its congressionally mandated energy goal of 25 percent production of energy (1GW) from renewable sources by 2025, and improving installation energy security and sustainability.