42 U.S.C. § 17131 — Training Federal contracting officers to negotiate energy efficiency contracts

(a) Program: The Secretary must build and run a training program inside the Federal Energy Management Program. It must prepare contract officers to: negotiate energy savings performance contracts; make effective, timely energy efficiency service contracts with any company that offers such services; and review all federal product and service contracts for energy efficiency opportunities. (b) Schedule: Within 1 year after December 19, 2007, the Secretary must plan, staff, announce, and start this training. (c) Personnel to be trained: Agencies choose their own staff to send for training, from: the Department of Defense; the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Department of Energy; the General Services Administration; the Department of Housing and Urban Development; the United States Postal Service; and any other federal agency whose contracts (for buildings, electricity, natural gas, heating and air conditioning, fuel, or other services) the Secretary decides could save energy or cut greenhouse gases if negotiated with those goals in mind. (d) Trainers: Training can be given by (1) attorneys or contract officers from any agency who have experience with the contracts described in subsection (c)(7) — the Secretary must reimburse their salary and expenses if they don't work for the Department of Energy; or (2) private experts hired by the Secretary, except the Secretary may not hire an expert who is, at the same time, employed by a company that sells energy efficiency services to the federal government. (e) Authorization of appropriations: Congress authorized $750,000 for the Secretary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.