Infrastructure as a Service Procurement Expedites Implementation of Clean Energy Solutions

The Maryland Clean Energy Center announces the selection of ten vendors with technical capabilities to assist with planning, installation, operation, and management of energy solutions and systems through Master Service Agreements and assists Baltimore County secure EV Infrastructure Assessment and Planning Contract.

Public and private sector partners now have convenient access to qualified service providers, who offer the expertise and resources needed to improve building energy performance, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and energy costs for clients wishing to transition to cleaner energy solutions for facility and fleet operations.

Under the recently awarded Infrastructure as a Service Request for Qualifications (RFQ), the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) has the ability to connect clients and partners with services needed to achieve GHG emissions reductions, as well as vehicle electrification goals and building performance standards, by providing turnkey solutions for upgrading, replacing, and expanding physical and facility infrastructure, including but not limited to fleet vehicles and related services, transportation systems (ports, bridges, tunnels, etc.), building infrastructure (roofs, HVAC, elevators, windows, etc.), energy and water systems, lighting, and emergency management systems. 

The selected service providers include:

• Ameresco, Inc
• American Microgrid Solutions, LLC
• Green Generation Investors, LLC
• NextEra Energy Solutions, LLC (NES)
• NORESCO
• Schneider Electric Buildings Americas, Inc
• Siemens Industry, Inc
• Southland Industries
• Sustainability Partners
• The Efficiency Network  

“For our state to achieve the aggressive carbon reduction goals we have adopted, we need to move quickly to implement solutions,” said Katherine Magruder, Executive Director for the Maryland Clean Energy Center. “As a neutral third party, MCEC procurement and project management services can be used advantageously from idea to implementation.”

Using an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) construct, providers may pay for 100% of design, materials, and installation and will ensure that assets are continually maintained in a state of good repair through a usage-based utility-like fee model. For most projects, the service provider will own the respective infrastructure assets, which will be available so that MCEC and/or the clients may use them on an “as needed” basis for the provision of services to constituents. This structure allows for the reduction of GHG emissions and achieving a lower total cost of usage, including the specific outcomes of reduced operating costs, reduced ownership liability, and increased productivity.  

Baltimore County has also partnered with MCEC to procure the services of qualified vendor to perform an Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Assessment, which will provide the County with an understanding of electric vehicle supply equipment, site evaluation and station locating, vehicle replacement scheduling, and the technical knowledge to create and implement an EV Infrastructure Plan.

Siemens Industry, Inc. was selected through the MCEC managed procurement to engage in a “riderable” service contract, enabling other MCEC clients under Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to utilize the same contract terms – pricing and scope of services, through a similar contract with the selected vendor.

This effort supports the goal of transitioning the County government’s vehicle fleet toward electric and hybrid vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel energy consumption, and enables progress to meet the Baltimore County Executive Order 2021-024 calling for the electrification of 10% of the County’s passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks, as well as the installation of the necessary charging infrastructure to support these vehicles, by 2030.

“The EV infrastructure feasibility assessment called for in the scope of work of this contract will provide the County with a systematic analysis that will help plan out the comprehensive charging plan, including procurement and installation, for numerous County facilities in order to ensure convenient and readily available charging capacity for the County’s transition to electric vehicles in the light duty and passenger segment of the County fleet,” said Seth Blumen, Energy and Sustainability Coordinator at Baltimore County.

MCEC was created to fund and facilitate a clean energy future. As a green bank and corporate instrumentality of the state, MCEC offers procurement and technical support for project development, provides access to capital, engages in consumer education, and fosters climate tech innovation to advance the adoption of clean energy and energy efficiency products, services and technologies. Projects developed with these vendors may also be implemented with alternative financing strategies that MCEC can also facilitate for clients.

Access to the venders selected for the Infrastructure as a Service contracts and Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Assessment is available via MOU. For more information, or to discuss technical and project management services or procurement of qualified vendors for clean energy and carbon reduction solutions through MCEC, contact Ben Rupert, Director of Procurement and Technical Support Services at 301-314-6064 or [email protected].