(a) The Energy Commission, in consultation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and the Public Utilities Commission, shall establish guidelines for the following: (1) Standard methods for estimating energy benefits, including reasonable assumptions for current and future costs of energy, and guidelines to compute the cost of energy saved as a result of implementing eligible projects funded by this chapter. (2) Contractor qualifications, licensing, and certifications appropriate for the work to be performed, provided that the Energy Commission shall not create any new qualification, license, or certification pursuant to this subparagraph. (3) Project evaluation, including the following: (A) Benchmarks or energy rating systems to select best candidate facilities. (B) Use of energy surveys or audits to inform project opportunities, costs, and savings. (C) Sequencing of facility improvements. (D) Methodologies for cost-effectiveness determination. (4) To ensure that adequate energy audit, measurement, and verification procedures are employed to ensure that energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions occur as a result of any funding provided pursuant to this section. The Energy Commission shall develop a simple preinstallation verification form that includes project description, estimated energy savings, expected number of jobs created, current energy usage, and costs. The Energy Commission may develop benchmarking and other innovative facility evaluation systems in coordination with the University of California. (5) Achievement of the maximum feasible energy efficiency or clean energy benefits, as well as job creation benefits for Californians, resulting from projects implemented pursuant to this chapter. (6) Where applicable, ensuring LEAs assist classified school employees with training and information to better understand how they can support and maximize the achievement of energy savings envisioned by the funded project. (b) The Energy Commission shall allow the use of data analytics of energy usage data, where possible, in the energy auditing, evaluation, inventorying, measuring, and verification of projects. To ensure quality of results, data analytics providers shall have received prior technical validation by the Energy Commission, a local utility, or the Public Utilities Commission. (c) A community college district or LEA shall not use a sole source process to award funds pursuant to this chapter. A community college district or LEA may use the best value criteria as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 20133 of the Public Contract Code to award funds pursuant to this chapter. (d) The Energy Commission shall adopt the guidelines in accordance with this section at a publicly noticed meeting and provide an opportunity for public comment. The Energy Commission shall provide written public notice of a meeting at least 30 days prior to the meeting. (1) For substantive revision of the guidelines, the Energy Commission shall provide written notice of a meeting at least 15 days prior to the meeting at which the revision is to be considered or adopted. (2) The adoption or revision of guidelines pursuant to this division is exempt from Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (e) Each participating LEA shall prioritize the eligible projects within its jurisdiction taking into consideration, as applicable, at least the following factors: (1) The age of the school facilities, as well as any plans to close or demolish the facilities. (2) The proportion of pupils eligible for funds under Title I of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.) at particular schoolsites. (3) Whether the facilities have been recently modernized. (4) The facilitiesâ hours of operation, including whether the facilities are operated on a year-round basis. (5) The schoolâs e
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