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Concord secures DOE technical assistance; staff to draft RFQ for municipal energy audits
Summary
Town staff told the Climate Action Committee the town was awarded in‑kind technical assistance through Power Options to prepare a municipal decarbonization roadmap, and that an RFQ for building energy audits will be drafted for internal review within weeks.
Town staff told the Climate Action Committee that the town has been awarded in‑kind technical assistance from the state program delivered by Power Options to develop a municipal decarbonization roadmap aimed at meeting the town’s 2050 greenhouse gas goals.
Committee members were also updated on near‑term procurement steps: staff will draft a request for qualifications (RFQ) to solicit firms to perform municipal building energy audits and related services. The draft RFQ is expected to be ready for internal review within a few weeks; staff said they will share the draft with the committee and other stakeholders for comment. The committee was told the RFQ route was chosen in part because the state offers a model RFQ for energy service contracts and because an RFQ emphasizes qualifications rather than selecting strictly on the lowest bid.
Staff described the roadmap and the RFQ as linked to the state Green Communities program and to the town’s plan to pursue ‘Climate Leader’ certification. The technical assistance kickoff with Power Options will collect municipal building and vehicle data (much of it from the town’s annual Green Communities reporting) and, based on experiences reported by other towns, the roadmap process should take roughly six to eight months. Committee members were advised that applications for Green Communities funding are tied to priorities identified in the decarbonization roadmap, meaning projects intended to be funded through Green Communities should be shown as priorities in the roadmap.
Committee members also discussed procurement and timing issues related to electrification equipment. Public works has discussed a potential near‑term purchase of battery‑powered landscaping equipment; staff said the department has talked about a budget in the ballpark of up to $100,000 over one to two years for electric landscaping equipment and related batteries, and noted the timing of Green Communities grant cycles can affect when purchases may be made.
Staff said they would share the RFQ draft with committee members and stakeholders, that the Power Options kickoff was scheduled immediately following the meeting, and that the committee will have an opportunity to provide input on the RFQ and the roadmap.
