ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Willdan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:WLDN) today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Willdan Energy Solutions (Willdan) was selected by the Ontario-Montclair School District (OMSD) to serve as the energy consultant for OMSD's upcoming Proposition 39 Clean Energy Jobs Act Program. Willdan will provide energy planning and auditing services to OMSD to identify, prioritize and select energy efficiency projects for implementation at all 32 of the OMSD's school facilities.

The energy planning and auditing activities will build on several energy savings projects already implemented by OMSD. For example, last year, through the Public Schools Energy Efficiency Program, the District implemented energy-savings lighting retrofits that currently save nearly $230,000 annually. These retrofits, which were delivered at no cost to the District, were funded by California ratepayers through a contract Willdan implemented on behalf of Southern California Edison.

The energy projects to be identified and selected for the Clean Energy Jobs Act Program will be funded primarily by the more than $5 million that the District anticipates receiving under Proposition 39 over the next five years. Projects under consideration may include the installation of double-paned windows or window coverings, and exterior lighting upgrades, as well as larger and more comprehensive projects to replace older, inefficient heating and air systems. Also, these projects could address building management systems installations to help control facility energy usage.

"We look forward to assisting OMSD with developing an inventory of existing conditions and systems in district facilities,'' stated Tom Kouris, President and CEO, Willdan Energy Solutions. "Likewise, we are eager to develop a roadmap for improvements that will provide better learning environments for students, as well as save District utility bill expenses."

About Proposition 39

Approved by the voters in California in November 2012, Proposition 39 closed a corporate tax loophole to generate billions in revenue over a five-year period. Half the money collected—an estimated $550 million annually—will go to the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, which is a program created to fund K-12 school and community college energy efficiency projects. The recently signed Senate Bill 73 spells out the details of how the grant funds will be allocated to California's K-12 schools and community colleges, and it includes a number of requirements to ensure Proposition 39 funds deliver the expected energy efficiency and cost savings.

District funding is based on average daily attendance numbers. Project planning funds are calculated as a percentage of the District's total award. Pursuant to the guidelines, Willdan will assist OMSD with identifying and analyzing energy efficiency projects that demonstrate at least $1.05 returned for every $1 of Proposition 39 money invested. This requires a series of steps to determine current energy usage and costs that will be compared to usage and costs after new systems installation.

About Willdan Energy Solutions

Willdan Energy Solutions is a leading national provider of specialized energy, water, and resource management services to a growing list of clients that includes utilities, local and federal governments, hospitals, schools and private enterprises. Our integrated portfolio of services comprises marketing and engineering, program management and implementation of energy efficiency and water conservation programs and development and implementation of information systems for the energy industry. Additional areas of expertise include hardware retrofits, commissioning and retro-commissioning, demonstrations of new technologies, energy efficiency education/outreach, sustainability strategy, and local government partnerships.

About Willdan Group, Inc.

Celebrating its 50th year of business, Willdan provides outsourced professional technical and consulting services to public agencies, public and private utilities, and commercial and industrial firms throughout the United States. Willdan benefits from well-established relationships, industry-leading expertise and a solid reputation for delivering projects on time and on budget. The company's service offerings span a broad set of complementary disciplines that include engineering and planning, energy efficiency and sustainability, financial and economic consulting, and national preparedness. Willdan has crafted this set of integrated services so that, in the face of an evolving environment—whether economic, natural, or built—Willdan can continue to extend the reach and resources of its clients. For additional information, visit Willdan's website at www.willdan.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical, including statements regarding Willdan's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, estimates, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that Willdan will not be able to improve its profitability in 2014. It is important to note that Willdan's actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, a slowdown in the local and regional economies of the states where Willdan conducts business and the loss of or inability to hire additional qualified professionals. Willdan's business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in Willdan's SEC reports including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2013. Willdan cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Willdan disclaims any obligation to, and does not undertake to, update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

Willdan Energy Solutions
Katie Wilson
Vice President
Tel: 951-809-5924
kwilson@willdan.com
or
Financial Profiles, Inc.
Moira Conlon
Tel: 310-478-2700 x220
mconlon@finprofiles.com

Source: Willdan Group, Inc.

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