Senate Bill 2536 Summary

• Authorizes the Mississippi Development Authority's Energy Division to assemble and maintain a list of prequalified energy services providers for energy savings performance contract projects.

• Establishes criteria for prequalification including design engineering capability, installation and maintenance experience, ability to verify guaranteed savings, access to project financing, and financial stability; applications must be approved or rejected within 60 days or automatically accepted.

• Defines key terms including "qualified energy services provider," "energy conservation measure," "simple payback period" (maximum 20 years), and "capital cost avoidance" to clarify what constitutes eligible energy services and contracts.

• Allows entities to include material savings, labor savings, and cancelled maintenance contracts as "reduced operating costs" in performance contracts, and permits multiple contract phases up to a combined 20-year term if the work areas were included in the original request for proposals.

• Takes effect July 1, 2016.