(a) Utility services defined at 48 CFR 41.101 for the furnishing of electricity, gas (natural or manufactured), steam, water, and/or sewerage to facilities owned or leased by Department of Energy (DOE) shall be acquired directly by DOE and not by a contractor using a subcontractor arrangement, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(b) Where it is determined to be in the best interest of the Government, a DOE contracting activity may authorize a management and operating contractor for a facility to acquire such utility service for the facility, after requesting and receiving concurrence to make such an authorization from the Director, Public Utilities Branch, Headquarters. Any request for such concurrence should be included in the Utility Service Requirements and Options Studies required by DOE Order 430.2, or its successor. Alternatively, it may be made in a separate document submitted to the Director of that office early in the acquisition cycle. Any request shall set forth why it is in the best interest of the DOE to acquire utility service(s) by subcontract, i.e., what the benefits are, such as economic advantage.

(c) The requirements of 48 CFR part 41, this section, and DOE Order 430.2, or its successor, shall be applied to a subcontract level acquisition for furnishing utility services to a facility owned or leased by DOE.