Tribal Energy: Opportunities Exist to Increase Federal Agencies' Use of the Tribal Preference Authority
Abstract
Tribal lands hold considerable energy resourcesoil, gas, coal, wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Tribal energy projects can help tribes fund programs and services that improve tribal members quality of life. Federal agencies are large consumers of energy in the United States, spending about $6 billion in 2017 on energy for their facilities. Congress has provided a mechanism for agencies to support development and use of tribal energy by authorizing agencies to give preference to majority tribally owned suppliers when purchasing energy. GAO was asked to review federal efforts to use the preference. This report examines, among other objectives, the extent to which GSA, DOD, and DOE have used the tribal energy preference. GAO reviewed available agency information on use of the preference and interviewed federal agency officials to understand how agencies would use the preference when entering into contracts with tribal suppliers. To the extent that Congress wants to further encourage use of tribally owned energy sources, it should consider amending EPACT05 to provide more specific direction to federal agencies for implementing the tribal energy preference, to include consideration of additional incentives or requirements.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1170640
Entities
People
- Andrew Moore
- Caroline Prado
- Cindy Gilbert
- Cynthia Norris
- Frank W. Rusco
- Justin Bolivar
- Karla Springer
- William Gerard
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office