(C) the installation of renewable energy 
technologies (such as wind power, photovoltaics, 
solar thermal systems, geothermal energy, hy-
drogen-fueled systems, biomass-based systems, 
biofuels, anaerobic digesters, and hydropower) 
involved in the improvement, repair, or renova-
tion to a school. 
(b) AUTHORITY.—From amounts made available for 
grants under this section, the Secretary of Energy shall 
provide competitive grants to eligible entities to make en-
ergy improvements authorized by this section. 
(c) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this sub-
section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 
that have renovation, repair, and improvement funding 
needs and are— 
(1) a high-need local educational agency, as de-
fined in section 2102 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6602); or 
(2) a local educational agency designated with 
a metrocentric locale code of 41, 42, or 43 as deter-
mined by the National Center for Education Statis-
tics (NCES), in conjunction with the Bureau of the 
Census, using the NCES system for classifying local 
educational agencies. 
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(d) COMPETITIVE CRITERIA.—The competitive cri-
teria used by the Secretary shall include the following: 
(1) The fiscal capacity of the eligible entity to 
meet the needs for improvements of school facilities 
without assistance under this section, including the 
ability of the eligible entity to raise funds through 
the use of local bonding capacity and otherwise. 
(2) The likelihood that the local educational 
agency or eligible entity will maintain, in good condi-
tion, any facility whose improvement is assisted. 
(3) The potential energy efficiency and safety 
benefits from the proposed energy improvements. 
(e) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an applicant must submit to the Sec-
retary an application that includes each of the following: 
(1) A needs assessment of the current condition 
of the school and facilities that are to receive the en-
ergy improvements. 
(2) A draft work plan of what the applicant 
hopes to achieve at the school and a description of 
the energy improvements to be carried out. 
(3) A description of the applicant’s capacity to 
provide services and comprehensive support to make 
the energy improvements. 
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(4) An assessment of the applicant’s expected 
needs for operation and maintenance training funds, 
and a plan for use of those funds, if any. 
(5) An assessment of the expected energy effi-
ciency and safety benefits of the energy improve-
ments. 
(6) A cost estimate of the proposed energy im-
provements. 
(7) An identification of other resources that are 
available to carry out the activities for which funds 
are requested under this section, including the avail-
ability of utility programs and public benefit funds. 
(f) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The recipient of a grant 
under this section shall use the grant amounts only 
to make the energy improvements contemplated in 
the application, subject to the other provisions of 
this subsection. 
(2) OPERATION
AND
MAINTENANCE
TRAIN-
ING.—The recipient may use up to 5 percent for op-
eration and maintenance training for energy effi-
ciency and renewable energy improvements (such as 
maintenance staff and teacher training, education, 
and preventative maintenance training). 
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(3) AUDIT.—The recipient may use funds for a 
third-party investigation and analysis for energy im-
provements (such as energy audits and existing 
building commissioning). 
(4) CONTINUING
EDUCATION.—The recipient 
may use up to 1 percent of the grant amounts to de-
velop a continuing education curriculum relating to 
energy improvements. 
(g) CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) DAVIS-BACON.—Any laborer or mechanic 
employed by any contractor or subcontractor in the 
performance of work on any energy improvements 
funded by a grant under this section shall be paid 
wages at rates not less than those prevailing on 
similar construction in the locality as determined by 
the Secretary of Labor under subchapter IV of chap-
ter 31 of title 40, United States Code (commonly re-
ferred to as the Davis-Bacon Act). 
(2) COMPETITION.—Each applicant that re-
ceives funds shall ensure that, if the applicant car-
ries out repair or renovation through a contract, any 
such contract process— 
(A) ensures the maximum number of quali-
fied bidders, including small, minority, and 
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women-owned businesses, through full and open 
competition; and 
(B) gives priority to businesses located in, 
or resources common to, the State or the geo-
graphical area in which the project is carried 
out. 
(h) REPORTING.—Each recipient of a grant under 
this section shall submit to the Secretary, at such time 
as the Secretary may require, a report describing the use 
of such funds for energy improvements, the estimated cost 
savings realized by those energy improvements, the results 
of any audit, the use of any utility programs and public 
benefit funds and the use of performance tracking for en-
ergy improvements (such as the Department of Energy: 
Energy Star program or LEED for Existing Buildings). 
(i) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretary shall develop 
and publish guidelines and best practices for activities car-
ried out under this section. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2023. 
Æ 
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