156.03 Implementing energy saving measures.

156.03 Implementing energy saving measures.

(A) If the director of administrative services wishes to enter into an installment payment contract pursuant to section 156.04 of the Revised Code or any other contract to implement one or more energy saving measures or, in the case of a state institution of higher education pursuant to division (B) of section 156.02 of the Revised Code, energy or water saving measures, the director may proceed under Chapter 153. of the Revised Code, or, alternatively, the director may request the controlling board to exempt the contract from Chapter 153. of the Revised Code.

If the controlling board by a majority vote approves an exemption, that chapter shall not apply to the contract and instead the director shall request proposals from at least three parties for the implementation of the energy or water saving measures. Prior to providing any interested party a copy of any such request, the director shall advertise, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the contract is to be performed, the director’s intent to request proposals for the implementation of the energy or water saving measures. The notice shall invite interested parties to submit proposals for consideration and shall be published at least thirty days prior to the date for accepting proposals.

(B) Upon receiving the proposals, the director shall analyze them and, after considering the cost estimates of each proposal and the availability of funds to pay for each with current appropriations or by financing the cost of each through an installment payment contract under section 156.04 of the Revised Code, may select one or more proposals or reject all proposals. In selecting proposals, the director shall select the one or more proposals most likely to result in the greatest savings when the cost of the proposal is compared to the reduced energy and operating costs that will result from implementing the proposal. However, in the case of a state institution of higher education pursuant to division (B) of section 156.02 of the Revised Code, the director shall select the one or more proposals most likely to result in the greatest energy, water, or wastewater savings, operating costs savings, and avoided capital costs created.

(C)(1) No contract shall be awarded to implement energy saving measures under this section, other than in the case of a state institution of higher education, unless the director finds that one or both of the following circumstances exists, as applicable:

(a) In the case of a contract for a cogeneration system described in division (H) of section 156.01 of the Revised Code, the cost of the contract is not likely to exceed the amount of money that would be saved in energy and operating costs over no more than five years;

(b) In the case of any contract for any energy saving measure other than a cogeneration system, the cost of the contract is not likely to exceed the amount of money that would be saved in energy and operating costs over no more than ten years.

(2) In the case of a state institution of higher education pursuant to division (B) of section 156.02 of the Revised Code, no contract shall be awarded to implement energy or water saving measures for the institution under this section unless the director finds that both of the following circumstances exists:

(a)Not less than one-fifteenth of the costs of the contract shall be paid within two years from the date of purchase;

(b) The remaining balance of the cost of the contract shall be paid within fifteen years from the date of purchase.

Amended by 128th General Assembly File No. 9, HB 1, § 101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 10-12-1994