GREEN/ALTERNATIVE FUEL POST RANKINGS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 050880 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ATRN AMGT SUBJECT: GREEN/ALTERNATIVE FUEL POST RANKINGS REF: (a) State 020845, (b) State 032066 ¶1. The Office of Motor Vehicles (A/LM/MV) has reviewed posts' responses to our annual alternative fuel/hybrid electric vehicle survey (reftel a). Based on those responses, posts have been ranked into three tiers. ¶2. Tier One posts responded to our annual survey indicating that they possess an existing market for alternative-fuel vehicles, easy availability of at least one type of alternative fuel, mechanical expertise, ease of procurement, and other factors. These posts will be routinely authorized alternative fuel and or electric vehicles as part of the routine vehicle replacement program and routinely authorized to procure them for post ICASS fleets, provided that they do not cost 30 percent more than a comparable conventional vehicle over the lifespan of the vehicle. This does not mean that alternative fuel vehicles must be procured. Rather it means that they will routinely be considered as a replacement or procurement option, and, if they meet the conditions above, posts will be encouraged to procure them in furtherance of government-wide initiatives to reduce emissions and reliance on petroleum-based fuels. Posts will still need to comply with the rules regarding offshore procurement and GSA procurement (as applicable),as would be the case with any other motor vehicle. ¶3. Tier Two posts do not possess all of the factors of Tier One posts, but indicated in response to our annual survey that they possess enough of these factors to enable us to consider authorizing alternative fuel or electric vehicles on a case-by-case basis, if desired by post. Tier Two posts desiring such vehicles will be asked to justify their requests by confirming that the specific vehicles requested can be efficiently procured, operated, maintained and sold. ¶4. Tier Three posts (all other posts) either indicated that they do not possess the conditions to participate in alternative fuel/electric vehicle programs at this time, or failed to reply to the annual survey resulting in our inability to assess their conditions. ¶5. Please note that American vehicle models available through GSA, for which the ability to switch from gasoline to E85 fuel is a standard feature of the vehicle, may be provided to posts requesting them, regardless of ranking. ¶6. Tier One Posts are: Athens, Greece (E) Berlin, Germany (E) Budapest, Hungary (E) Brussels, Belgium (E) Copenhagen, Denmark (E) Dublin, Ireland (E) Halifax, Canada (CG) Helsinki, Finland (E) Lisbon, Portugal (E) London, United Kingdom (E) Luxembourg, Luxembourg (E) Madrid, Spain (E) Merida, Mexico (C) Munich, Germany (CG) Oslo, Norway (E) Paris, France (E) Perth, Australia (CG) Port Louis, Mauritius (E) Pretoria, S. Africa (E) Reykjavik, Iceland (E) Riga, Latvia (E) Rome, Italy (E) Sao Paulo, Brazil (CG) Sofia, Bulgaria (E) Stockholm, Sweden (E) Tallinn, Estonia (E) Tijuana, Mexico (CG) Vladivostok, Russia (CG) ¶7. Tier Two Posts are: Bangkok, Thailand (E) Belgrade, Serbia (E) STATE 00050880 002 OF 002 Bern, Switzerland (E) Bucharest, Romania (E) Buenos Aires, Argentina (E) Chengdu, China (CG) Chiang Mai, Thailand (CG) Cuidad Juarez, Mexico (CG) Dushanbe, Tajikistan (E) Hong Kong, China (CG) Kolkata, India (CG) Manila, Philippines (E) Moscow, Russia (E) Shanghai, China (CG) Shenyang, China (CG) Singapore, Singapore (E) Skopje, Macedonia (E) Taipei, Taiwan (AIT) Tashkent, Uzbekistan (E) Tel Aviv, Israel (E) Wellington, New Zealand (E) Zagreb, Croatia (E) ¶8. All other posts are either in Tier Three, or did not reply to our survey. If you feel that an error has been made in this regard, please send an e-mail to Motorvehicleprogram@state.gov (on the GAL as Motor Vehicle Program) or to the branch chief, Daniel Hirsch, at hirschdm@state.gov. ¶9. Post rankings will also be posted to the MV website. ¶10. Minimize Considered. CLINTON