Technical Support Services

NREL experts provide technical support services related to energy use and future scenarios for U.S. states, local jurisdictions, and tribal communities when federally supported programs are not available.

Renewable energy types, including wind turbines and solar panels, overlaid with images of people shaking hands and looking at computers.

NREL's State, Local, and Tribal Technical Support Services Agreement offers data-driven, actionable energy decision support tools and expert-guided analysis to inform renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation projects. Users can access support through streamlined contracting terms and cost-effective pricing, as low as $2,000.

	Service	Technical Support	Duration
	Ask an Expert	Get answers to your jurisdiction-specific questions related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation projects	Up to 6 hours
Support Options Receive one-on-one consultation with an NREL expert to ask questions about technology, policy, and regulations related to renewable energy technologies Get analytical support to inform energy efficiency programs and policies Receive consulting assistance on sustainable transportation topics, including transportation electrification Understand and use available contactor tools; introductory technical support to inform analysis of policies or programs Learn what NREL models and tools best fit your policy needs Service Deliverables One intake call limited to 1 hour to identify relevant NREL expert(s); two consultative calls, limited to 2 hours each with NREL expert(s); and one out-take call limited to 1 hour to debrief and gather feedback or to direct jurisdiction to additional resources
	Technical, Policy, and Regulatory Overview	Better understand the options to accomplish your energy-related goals (Recommend following Ask an Expert support to maximize usefulness)	Up to 40 hours
Support Options Use tools to weigh decision support, including key inputs and outputs (Example tools: System Advisor Model, ReOpt Lite) Get guidance on using building and transportation sector tools, including data acquisition and integration Get "on-call" technical advice over the phone related to the tool Service Deliverable A summary presentation, summary spreadsheet, or 4- to 5-page unpublished paper delivered to the jurisdiction
	Custom Data Development for Jurisdictions	Receive customized data, analysis and/or training on NREL data portals or tools for your jurisdiction (Recommend following Ask an Expert support to maximize usefulness)	TBD
Support Options Have NREL obtain and analyze your program or site data to meet program needs Obtain training or receive customized analysis on the Low-Income Energy Affordability Data Tool (LEAD), State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) Platform, Engage, or other NREL-developed tools Gain deeper understanding of local jurisdiction potential through NREL custom-developed answers to one of the following questions: What are the core sectors that influence energy use in my jurisdiction? What are the opportunities to target clean energy and efficiency programs and/or policies to benefit low- and moderate-income residents in my jurisdiction? What is the potential savings from targeting different sectors (residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, generation)? If more than one question is requested, additional support can be purchased by increasing quantity of this service. Service Deliverable A 4- to 10-page document for the jurisdiction to use. For examples on the output, see the U.S. Department of Energy's City Energy: Data to Decisions.
	Expert Participation in Technical or Advisory Committee	NREL expert's sustained participation in an ongoing jurisdictional technical or advisory committee on a specific topic (Recommend following Ask an Expert support to maximize usefulness)	Up to 44 hours+
Support Options Request NREL expert participation in technical or advisory committee meetings for projects, programs, strategies, or policies with a one-year limit Service Deliverables Up to 20 total hours of preparation of existing analysis and materials and NREL expert's participation in six, 4-hour technical or advisory committee meetings over the course of one year Note: If more frequency within the one-year limit is requested in advance, additional support can be purchased up front in increments of one, 4-hour technical or advisory committee meetings—not to exceed six, 4-hour additional technical or advisory committee meetings over the course of the year
	Technical Review of Request for Proposal	Receive NREL expert review of your request for proposal (RFP) to refine the technical aspects of the RFP to improve responses	Up to 2 hours of calls
Service Deliverables One intake call limited to 1 hour to identify relevant NREL expert(s); NREL expert's review and comments on one RFP, which will be provided via email and limited to 30 pages; and one out-take call limited to 1 hour to debrief and gather feedback or to direct jurisdiction to additional resources
	Technical Review of Proposals in Response to RFP	Obtain the advice of an NREL expert advice as a non-voting technical review member on the proposal review committee (Recommend following Technical Review of Request for Proposal service)	Up to 40 hours +
Support Options Include services of an NREL expert in the technology/ies included in the RFP to review and score (based on stated criteria) proposals submitted in response to an RFP Service Deliverables 1 hour of intake and debrief and up to 40 hours review of proposal responses (limited to 10 proposals up to 30 pages long)
	Travel	Request an NREL expert travel to provide in-person services	TBD
Service Deliverable Domestic travel to jurisdiction

Contracting Terms and Conditions

These technical support services are limited to the services described above and do not include modifications to tools, development of new tools, or requests for program design. Services are limited to state, local, and tribal government decision makers using NREL's existing ecosystem of tools.

See the Terms and Conditions for State, Local, and Tribal Technical Support Services Agreement.

Publications

State, Local, and Tribal Technical Support Services Agreements, NREL Fact Sheet (2021)

Contact

If you represent a state, local, or tribal government and are interested in NREL's State, Local, and Tribal Technical Support Services Agreement, pricing, and process, contact us.