# DLA Energy commander attends ribbon-cutting ceremony at Tinker Air Force Base

/ Published March 31, 2017

Defense Logistics Agency Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with other senior officials for the Air Force’s largest energy savings performance contract at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, March 29.

DLA Energy awarded the contract Dec. 13, 2016, for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, at Tinker AFB, that guarantees to deliver a 35 percent energy savings to the complex.

“When you have a 35 percent savings over 10 million square feet, that is a real, tangible difference,” Chapin said. “The money that gets saved in the Department of Defense now goes to do something else we need to do. We can spend it on readiness or whatever else it is we feel the need to do at the time.”

The $243 million facility modernization project will save at least $20 million annually in energy and operational costs over the 25-year life of the contract. This includes modernizing 50 buildings with energy conservation measures to increase energy efficiency, reliability, security and resiliency, with particular emphasis on industrial infrastructure process improvements.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was officiated by Tinker OC-ALC Vice Director Wade Wolfe.

“We are honored to be home to the largest energy retrofit project in Air Force history,” Wolfe said. 

After completion of a 42-month construction effort, included as part of the 25-year performance period, the total annual energy savings are projected to be 665 billion British thermal units per year, equivalent to the average annual energy consumption of more than 8,300 homes. In addition to a projected 35-percent reduction in Tinker OC-ALC energy usage, this project provides water efficiencies, with OC-ALC water usage projected to reduce 9 percent.

The ESPC project was executed in 20 months as a result of proactive planning and execution efforts with stakeholders.

“When I read that this happened within about a 20-month period of time ... for those who may not be used to government contracting cycles, you may think ‘wow,’ that seems like a long time,” Chapin said. “However, I’ve been around enough government contracts to know that’s actually a very short period of time ... and for something of this size to come together in a 20-month period of time, is absolutely phenomenal and it’s a testament to the teamwork.”

“This could not have been accomplished without the collaborative effort of the Tinker OC-ALC, the Air Force Civil Engineering Center, DLA Energy and the contractor,” said DLA Energy Contracting Officer Cynthia Obermeyer. “The contractor was very supporting and collaborative. The contractor brought in their best (personnel), who were very cooperative. We all agreed up front that we would make this happen and we all worked around the clock until we did!”

Obermeyer, the DLA Energy lead for the Tinker OC-ALC ESPC, was personally recognized by Mark Correll, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety, and Infrastructure for her invaluable support of the effort. She received a letter of congratulations from Correll along with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program Directors’ Award Recognition for her overall support of the Presidential Performance Contracting Challenge and the significant contributions this project effort makes toward conserving our nation’s energy and water resources.

“DLA Energy appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the overall effort that resulted in the absolutely amazing accomplishment we’re celebrating today,” Chapin said.