The Energy Department is looking to hire outside legal advisers to help manage challenges the agency may face for contentious decisions like axing federal awards and ordering fossil plants to continue operating using the Federal Power Act.
The department, according to an online solicitation, was taking submissions through Monday to award up to 10 contracts for “legal and advisory services” in DOE’s Office of the General Counsel for a cost of up to $50 million.
DOE is specifically looking for advisers with expertise in “statutory interpretation, regulatory analysis, and challenges to agency actions under the Federal Power Act,” a nod to the department’s ongoing orders directing plans to continue operating, sometimes despite looming shutdown plans.
The department also sought “highly specialized knowledge of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) markets, imports and exports of LNG, and policies and procedures related to LNG,” as well as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, including purchases and sales.
