Army awards 13 biomass contracts

A group of qualified biomass technology contractors were awarded 13 Multiple Award Task Order Contracts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, Ala. The qualified MATOC companies will be eligible to bid on future biomass renewable energy task orders, which include municipal solid waste and waste-to-energy.

According to the USACE, the MATOC involves third-party financed renewable energy acquisitions and involves no Army or U.S. Department of Defense capital or military construction appropriation. The Army or DOD purchases the power from contractors who own, operate or maintain the energy generating assets. The total estimated $7 billion contract value refers to the total dollar value of energy available for purchase under all power purchase agreement task orders for their entire term, which can run up to 30 years.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center developed the MATOC in collaboration with the Energy Initiatives Task Force, which was established by Secretary of the Army John McHugh in 2011. A total of 58 awards have been issued in four technology areas: biomass, solar, wind and geothermal.