ESAC Rebuild Iowa ProgramSeptember 7, 2001
Honorable Mayor Terry M. Duggan and
City Council Members
City Hall
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52001
Dear Mr. Mayor and Council Members:
Over the past several months, the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission
has been studying the concept of energy for our community. One of the things that
sparked the interest was the electrical power shortages and cost increase occurring in
California. The Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commissioners see an
opportunity to promote energy conservation and efficiency in the Dubuque community
through the use of geothermal heating and cooling systems and numerous other
methods.
one of the ways to build support for energy conservation and efficiency programs is
through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources "Rebuild Iowa" program. Rebuild
Iowa is a community-based, energy efficiency program affiliated with the United States
Department of Energy's Rebuild America program. Eight Iowa communities are
currently participating in this program. The purpose of Rebuild Iowa is threefold. The
first goal is to help communities develop initiatives that will create jobs, save money,
and protect the environment through the implementation of all cost-effective energy
management improvements. The second goal is for Rebuild Iowa communities to
commit to the development and implementation of a community-wide waste reduction
program. The third goal is to facilitate community participation in the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star Program. The Energy Star
Program provides cdteria to program participants for measuring energy performanoe in
appliances, buildings, homes and organizations. Each community building that meets
EPA's criteria receives national recognition for saving money and protecting the
environment.
The Commission would like to begin the necessary steps to prepare an application for a
Rebuild Iowa grant. One of the pdmary steps is developing partnerships with local utility
companies, lending institutions, contractors, businesses, residents, associations,
governments, not-for-profit organizations, and environmental organizations. If selected,
the grant would provide funding for a part-time coordinator to assist in developing and
implementing an action plan involving community players for energy efficiency.
The attached RFP explains the Rebuild Iowa Program in more detail. The
Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission respectfully requests City Council
approval to proceed with the necessary steps to draft an application for submission.
Prior to submission, the City Council will review the proposal, which will be due next
spring. If you have any questions, Commission members John Bennett or Leslee
Spraggins would be happy to address them.
Michael Buelow, Chair
Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Rebuild Iowa
A. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
Rebuild Iowa is a community based energy efficiency program sponsored by the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources (Department), and affiliated with the US Department
of Energy's Rebuild America program. Eight Iowa communities are currently
participating in the program: Akron-Westfield, Cedar Falls, Centerville, Hamilton
County, Muscatine, Pella, and WinWorth BetCo (Winnebago and Worth Counties), and
Webster City.
The purpose of Rebuild Iowa is three-fold. The first goal is to help communities
develop initiatives that will create jobs, save money and protect the environment
through the implementation of all cost-effective energy management improvements.
The second goal is for Rebuild Iowa communities to commit to the development and
implementation of a community-wide waste reduction program. This waste
management program may involve community schools, hospitals, local and state
government facilities, industries, local organizations, and/or individuals who will create,
produce, present, and deliver successful community-based waste reduction programs
on a local level. And, the third goal is to facilitate community participation in the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star Program. The Energy Star
Program provides criteda to program participants for measuring energy performance in
appliances, buildings, homes and organizations. Each community building that meets
EPA's criteria receives national recognition for saving money and protecting the
environment.
Communities, or groups of communities, interested in participating in the Rebuild Iowa
program should have a commitment to saving money and creating jobs "at home." To
do this, the Department helps participating communities develop programs that use
local resources to help building owners identify, finance, and install cost-effective
energy saving projects in their facilities. The Department assists in funding project
coordinators for communities to facilitate projects and the overall process.
Coordinators and their communities work together with the Department to develop
programs that will be self-sustaining, so that within a three (3) year timeframe no
additional funding from the Department is needed. Community coordinators establish
programs necessary to help schools, hospitals, local and state government facilities,
private colleges, industries, comrnemial building owners, and multi-family dwelling
owners to complete energy efficiency projects.
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Communities selected to become part of Rebuild Iowa reap multiple benefits:
1. The positive impact on their economies from using local resources to the greatest
extent possible to identify, finance, and implement energy efficiency improvements.
Studies show that $1 million dollars invested in energy improvements:
> creates 25 job-years;
>, estimates $167,000 can be saved annually in reduced energy costs;
> money spent in a community on energy efficiency will turn over an average of
three times;
), while 60% of all money spent on energy leaves the state.
2. Improved air and water quality, reduction of waste, and overall betterment of the
environment;
3. Improved local building infrastructure with greater comfort levels, decreased
maintenance needs, and a longer life as new equipment is installed;
4. Access to highly trained energy efficiency professionals to assure high quality
projects that save money;
5. Development of relationships with local financial institutions to establish loan funds
that are repaid from energy savings.
Iowa's current Rebuild Iowa community achievements have been substantial. As of
June 30, 2001:
Akron-Wesffield (joined January, 2000) -The communities of Akron and Westfield
joined Rebuild Iowa as a joint venture. While the combined population of the
communities is small, Akron and Wesffield are progressive communities that have
placed a high priority on residential and business needs. Participating in Rebuild
Iowa has helped these communities expand their efforts toward community
sustainability. To-date, Akron-Wesffield has identified $107,657 in implementations
and $13,510 in annual savings, while reporting $9,764 in implementation with an
annual savings of $1,170.
Cedar Falls (joined January, 1998) - Rebuild Cedar Falls received national
recognition for its Conservation City initiative at the 2001 U.S. Conference of
Mayor's Energy Summit in Chicago, Illinois. Since 1998, Rebuild Cedar Falls has
implemented more than $1 million in energy efficiency improvements, saving the
community and its citizens $67,000 annually.
Centerville (joined February, 2001) - The City of Centerville is the newest Iowa
community to join Rebuild Iowa. Centerville is participating in a unique
collaboration between Rebuild Iowa and the Department's Building Energy Code
Education program to increase energy efficiency and enhance economic
development for the city. The venture focuses on retrofit building projects, and on
community education for interpreting and understanding the state's building energy
cede.
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Hamilton County (joined Apdl, 2000) - Hamilton County S.E.E.D. (Support for
Enriching Economic Development) is the first countywide economic development
organization to join the Rebuild Iowa team. Rebuild Hamilton County is working on
downtown revitalizations, housing, tourism, and industrial expansion and
improvement. The new initiative is focusing on commercial and industrial facilities
in the rural areas and eight communities surrounding Webster City (a long-time
Rebuild community whose program has attained sustainability). This Rebuild
community has identified over $45,000 in improvements with over $7,700 in annual
savings.
Muscatine (joined January, 2000) - In March 2001,The Rebuild America National
Forum named John Root of Rebuild Muscatine the Partnership Leader of the Year !
Energy Champion. This national award is a testament to the hard work and
commitment Rebuild Muscatine has put toward improving energy efficiency in the
community and the state. With 38 buildings enrolled in the program, total
implemented improvements of over $530,000, and energy savings of over $62,600,
Rebuild Muscatine is reaching its goal of auditing 75 percent of city buildings and
churches in Muscatine by the end of 2001.
WinWorth BetCo (joined November, 2000) - The counties of Winnebago and Worth
are located in the north central part of the state, and have a unique effort between
them called Rebuild Top of Iowa. They bring together 14 communities, varying in
population from 92 to 4,400, to meet the Rebuild Top of Iowa goals of improving
energy efficiency in their municipal, industrial, commercial and institutional
buildings, and to enhance economic development.
Webster City - (joined January, 1997) - In 1999, Webster City was named the
National Rebuild America Partnership of the Year by the U.S. Department of
Energy. Rebuild Webster City's community successes reported $4,892,701 in
improvements identified or implemented, with annual savings of $462,211.
B. OBJECTIVES
1. The primary objective of Rebuild Iowa is to positively impact communities through
investments in energy efficiency that help communities to achieve economic
development and environmental sustainability.
2. The Department is therefore seeking to add one to two new Rebuild Iowa
participants to plan and carry out community-wide energy efficiency efforts that
would achieve the outcomes sought in the first objective.
C. GOAL
Communities selected to participate will build partnerships with their local utility
company(s), lending institutions, contractors, businesses, residents, associations,
governments, not-for-profit organizations, and environmental organizations to:
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- achieve sustainable community development through identifying, financing, and
implementing energy efficiency improvements in participating facilities;
- establish and successfully deliver a local community-based waste reduction
program;
- and, successfully meet the criteria for becoming Energy Star communities.
D. ELIGIBILITY
A potential participating community may be defined as a single municipality, or by
agreements between a county, multiple counties, several towns, communities, or cities.
To be successful, applying communities should secure participation and representation
from as many of the following groups in their proposed program as possible including,
but not limited to: schools, hospitals, local government facilities, state govemment
facilities, multi-family dwellings, private colleges, commercial buildings, and industrial
facilities.
E. SCOPE OF WORK
Communities will be chosen based upon the cdteria listed in section G, as well as on
their demonstrated commitment and proposed work plan for addressing the following
program aspects. Participating Rebuild communities will employ a local coordinator
who will oversee all stages of program development, participation, and continuation,
including:
1) Developing an Action Plan that outlines how the local Rebuild Iowa program will
operate. An Advisory Committee mede up of community partners will assist the
local coordinator develop the Action Plan, which will include an achievable strategy
for sustaining the program without additional financial support from the Department.
2) Securing support and resources of community associations, utilities, lending
institutions, businesses, contractors, and environmental institutions that will assist in
the marketing, financing, and implementation of energy efficiency improvements in
the community;
3) Holding media and marketing campaigns and sponsoring informational town
meetings to educate citizens and local business owners on the potential economic
and environmental benefits of investing in energy efficiency through the Rebuild
Iowa program;
4) Conducting marketing visits with building owners targeted for participation in the
program, and enrolling their facilities in the program;
5) Facilitating the identification, funding, and implementation of energy efficiency
improvements in participating facilities;
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6) Reporting and maintaining communications with the Department of Natural
Resources, including providing monthly progress reports and attending update
meetings as requested;
7) Joining with the Department to coordinate activities, increase participation, and
provide information to their community and others interested in the Rebuild Iowa
Program;
8) Receiving orientation in the Energy Star program, and carrying out the activities
necessary for their community(s) to attain the Energy Star label; and;
9) If selected to participate in Rebuild Iowa, actively working with clients for a minimum
of three years.
F. DEADLINES
Proposals must be received at the DNR office no later than 4:30 PM, September 4,
2001. The Department anticipates selection of the grantees by December 4, 2001.
G. SELECTION CRITERIA
The Department will award communities based upon the following criteria:
FACTOR POINTS
1. Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain a community-wide program 25
2. Commitment of community partnerships 20
3. Proposed promotional and public "buy-in" activities
15
4. Amount and type of contributions/cost-share from community 20
5. Community commitment to economic development 15
6. Number/types of buildings potentially committed 5
TOTAL 100
H. AWARD
Rebuild Iowa partnerships will be undertaken with up to two communities whose
proposals show them to be qualified, responsible, and capable of performing the
deSignated work.
The Department reserves the dght to make no award, if in its judgment, the proposals
fail to meet the minimum expectations of the Department.
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I. FORMAT OF SUBMISSION
All proposals must be submitted in the format specified in Attachment A.
Department of Natural Resources Contact:
Rebecca Spiess, Rebuild Iowa Representative
Energy and Geological Resources Division
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Wallace State Office Building
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034
Phone (515) 281-5007
FAX (515) 281-6794
K. CONFIDENTIALITY
All applications are considered public information.
Requests for proposals are administered by the Department equally to all without
regard to race, color, political affiliation, creed, sex, national origin, disability, age, or
place of residence.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources seeks to provide opportunities for Targeted
Small Businesses in the awarding of contracts. The Department is authorized to award
contracts to Targeted Smell Businesses under the provisions of the Iowa Targeted
Small Business Procurement Act of 1986 and the Iowa Administrative Code,
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ATTACHMENT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS--
FORMAT FOR SUBMITTAL
Four (4) copies of each proposal shall be submitted. Please respond to the following
as completely as possible:
1. Address all numbered items listed in the Scope of Work of this Request For
Proposals.
2. List a contact person including name, address, title, phone, and, if available, FAX,,
and e-mail.
3. Identify and describe the community or communities proposing to participate in the
Rebuild Iowa program.
4. Describe how Rebuild Iowa will be organized and promoted in your community.
5. Describe all organizations, groups, and/or employees who will be managing and
directing the Rebuild Iowa program for your community.
Identify partners for the Rebuild Iowa application in your community, e.g, Chamber
of Commerce, economic development groups, local environmental associations,
Kiwanis, Rotary, schools, industry, etc., and their roles in your proposed program.
Identify the total population of the proposed community(s), the number and type of
buildings projected to be involved in the program, (e.g., industrial, schools, multi-
family dwellings, etc.).
8. Discuss how success (both qualitatively and quantitatively) w~ll be measured for your
community. For example, expected economic development impact, energy saved,
pollution reduced, partnerships developed, efforts to keep dollars spent on projects
in the community, support of existing industry through activities, funds leveraged
from community resources, community members involved in sustainability efforts,
etc.
9. Provide an estimated budget including financial contributions, community cost-share,
and in-kind contributions from entities other than the Department of Natural
Resources.
10. Please provide any other ideas you may have for how Rebuild Iowa would be
incorporated into your community.
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