16.858 Energy conservation audits and construction projects.

(1) The department may contract with a qualified contractor for an energy conservation audit to be performed at any state-owned building, structure or facility. Under the contract, the contractor shall prepare a report containing a description of the physical modifications to be performed to the building, structure or facility that are required to effect specific future energy savings within a specified period and a determination of the minimum savings in energy usage that will be realized by the state from making these modifications within that period. After review of the audit report and subject to approval under s. 13.48 (10), where required, the department may contract with the contractor for construction work to be performed at the building, structure or facility for the purpose of realizing potential savings of future energy costs identified in the audit if, in the judgment of the department, the anticipated savings to the state after completion of the work will enable recovery of the costs of the work within a reasonable period of time.

(2)

(a) A contract under sub. (1) may provide for the construction work to be financed by the state or by the contractor. The contract shall provide for the state to pay a stated amount, which shall include any financing costs incurred by the contractor. The stated amount may not exceed the minimum savings determined under the audit to be realized by the state within the period specified in the audit. The state shall make payments under the contract as the savings identified in the audit are realized by the state, in the amounts actually realized, but not to exceed the lesser of the stated amount or the actual amount of the savings realized by the state within the period specified in the audit. If the department provides financing for construction work, the department may finance any portion of the cost of the work under a master lease entered into as provided under s. 16.76 (4). If the department provides financing for the construction work and the stated amount to be paid by the state under the contract is greater than the amount of the savings realized by the state within the period specified in the audit under sub. (1), the contract shall require the contractor to remit the difference to the department.

(b) The department shall charge the cost of payments made by the state to the contractor to the applicable appropriation for fuel and utility costs at the building, structure or facility where the work is performed in the amounts equivalent to the savings that accrue to the state under that appropriation from expenditures not made as a result of the construction work, as determined by the department in accordance with the contract. The department may also charge its costs for negotiation, administration and financing of the contract to the same appropriation.

(3) Any contract under sub. (1) shall include a provision stating in substance that payments under the contract are contingent upon available appropriations.

(4) No later than January 1 of each year, the secretary shall report to the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance identifying any construction work for which the department has contracted under this section for which final payment has not been made as of the date of the preceding report, together with the actual energy cost savings realized by the state as a result of the contract to date, or the estimated energy cost savings to be realized by the state if the total savings to be realized in the audit under sub. (1) have not yet been realized, the date on which the state made its final payment under the contract or, if the final payment has not been made, the latest date on which the state is obligated to make its final payment under the contract, and any amount that remains payable to the state under the contract.

History: 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9.