United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2005-06-22 monographic deposited born digital 78 p. GA 1.13:GAO-05-340 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340 P0b002ee18037e959 f:d05340 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340 GAO-05-340 Agency missions Energy Energy costs Financial analysis Financial management Government contracts Energy savings performance contracts Performance-based contracting Savings estimates DOE Federal Energy Management Program Other Written Product A27178 The federal government is the nation's largest energy consumer, spending, by latest accounting, $3.7 billion on energy for its 500,000 facilities. Upfront funding for energy-efficiency improvements has been difficult to obtain because of budget constraints and competing agency missions. The Congress in 1986 authorized agencies to use Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) to privately finance these improvements. The law requires that annual payments for ESPCs not exceed the annual savings generated by the improvements. GAO was asked to identify (1) the extent to which agencies used ESPCs; (2) what energy savings, financial savings, and other benefits agencies expect to achieve; (3) the extent to which actual financial savings cover costs; and (4) what areas, if any, require steps to protect the government's financial interests in using ESPCs. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340.pdf GAO-05-340 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-340 Other Written Product GAO-05-340; Energy Savings: Performance Contracts Offer Benefits, but Vigilance Is Needed to Protect Government Interests; Agency missions Energy Energy costs Financial analysis Financial management Government contracts Energy savings performance contracts Performance-based contracting Savings estimates DOE Federal Energy Management Program Public Law 99-272 Public Law 102-486