Tinker releases notice of opportunity for logistics complex ESPC

Published May 11, 2015
By Kevin Elliott
AFCEC Public Affairs

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The Defense Logistics Agency recently released a notice of opportunity for an energy savings performance contract, or ESPC, for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

The notice invites the 16 energy service companies, or ESCOs, that are currently qualified by the Department of Energy to conduct ESPCs of this size, to submit written responses of their intent to pursue the project.

The proposed scope of the Tinker ESPC includes at least 60 buildings at the OC-ALC, totaling more than 10 million possible square feet, according to the notice. The company selected to develop an investment grade audit of the project will be asked for a comprehensive analysis of the complex to identify opportunities for maximum energy and water savings, and renewable energy production, with a particular emphasis on industrial process improvements.

"The idea behind this project is to look at our facilities in a very holistic manner," said Joseph Cecrle, energy manager at the OC-ALC. "All the ESCOs are proficient at traditional energy-efficiency upgrades. We will include those types of projects, but in this notice we're asking for special attention to industrial process improvements that will increase efficiencies across all of our systems. We want to address every possible opportunity."

This is not the first ESPC at Tinker. In 2012, an $80.6 million steam plant decentralization contract was awarded to Honeywell, Inc. The project involved shutting down three central high pressure steam plants, improving a fourth and fitting 56 individual buildings on the base with high-efficiency, natural-gas fired heating equipment. Construction is nearly complete, and the effort has reduced Tinker's natural gas consumption by 30 percent.

"We're excited about this new ESPC opportunity at Tinker," said Tom Laney, ESPC project manager at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center; the agency responsible for managing the Air Force's ESPCs. "Tinker is a forward-thinking base. Its first ESPC was very successful; this one has the potential to achieve significant energy efficiency gains for the Air Force."

The OC-ALC is one of the largest units in Air Force Materiel Command. The complex performs programmed depot maintenance on the C/KC-135, B-1B, B-52 and E-3 aircraft; expanded phase maintenance on the Navy E-6 aircraft; and maintenance, repair and overhaul of F100, F101, F108, F110, F117, F118, F119 and TF33 engines for the Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Navy and foreign military sales.

In November, Tinker activated the Air Force's first depot-level overhaul and repair line to support the surveillance and attack missions of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles. In February officials announced the acquisition of 158 acres of land to stand up a depot maintenance facility for the Air Force's next-generation aerial refueling aircraft, the KC-46A Pegasus.

"One of the Air Force Sustainment Center's goals is to transform organic repair facilities into the 'Complex of the Future,'" Cecrle said. "This ESPC is a great opportunity for our organization to invest in that vision."