Form 5900-34 Partner of the Year Awards

2010 ENERGY STAR® Awards
General Instructions for All Applicants
What you need to submit online:
• A 300-word executive summary highlighting the main elements of your application.
• An electronic copy (Word or WordPerfect) of your narrative.
• Optional supplemental material such as photos, pamphlets, copies of advertisements,
videos, audio files, etc., can be uploaded with your application as PDF files (each file must
be less than 12 MB). It is strongly recommended to consolidate supplemental print files into
one or two PDF files.
• Retailers only: See special instructions in the Retailer application, under the Partner of the
Year category.
When you need to submit it:
• A complete electronic application must be uploaded by midnight, EST on December 4,
2009. We will not accept any applications or materials uploaded after this date.
How you need to submit:
• All Partner applications must be electronically submitted through your “My ENERGY STAR
Account” (www.energystar.gov/mesa). The electronic system will be available November
1, 2009.
• If you do not have an ENERGY STAR account, call the ENERGY STAR Hotline at
888-782-7937 to have one created.
• We will only accept applications submitted via this online system.
What to expect after you submit:
• Confirmation of Receipt: You will get an email within 48 hours confirming receipt of
materials you submitted electronically. It will be sent to the Primary and Communications
contact in the award application. If you do not receive confirmation within this timeframe,
please contact ENERGY STAR Awards Coordinator Hewan Tomlinson at (202) 343-9082
or [email protected].
• Notification: You will be notified no later than February 5, 2010 on the status of your
application.

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Additional information:
• The ENERGY STAR Awards Ceremony will be held on April 13, 2010 in Washington, DC.
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Organizations may apply for more than one award if they meet the eligibility requirements.
In such cases, a complete award application package must be submitted for each award.

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There are two broad categories of ENERGY STAR awards that you can apply for: Partner
of the Year and Excellence Awards.

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The Sustained Excellence Award, our highest honor, is selected by EPA to recognize
organizations that have won Partner of the Year for several years and their achievements
continue to surpass those of the previous year. There is no separate application for
Sustained Excellence.

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Where applicable, quantify your activities and the results (e.g., percent improvement,
number of marketing pieces produced, number of people reached), and include electronic
copies of documentation that support claims made (e.g., photos of promotional materials,
samples of advertisements with the ENERGY STAR mark, copies of training materials
used, etc.).

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2010 ENERGY STAR®Award Application
Partner of the Year - Product Manufacturer
Eligibility:

Manufacturers of ENERGY STAR qualified products. Please note that the prerequisite for
any manufacturing award is that partners have complied with requirements outlined in the
applicable ENERGY STAR Partner Commitments and Product Specification documents,
including those related to labeling, logo use, and the submission of product and sales
information.

Description: These awards recognize those product manufacturers who have furthered the goals
of ENERGY STAR through their active participation. ENERGY STAR anticipates
that selecting the Product Manufacturer Partner awards will be a challenging task.
ENERGY STAR recognizes that each organization excels in specific areas.
Partners may describe specific activities beyond the scope of the criteria listed
below.
Criteria:

Criteria for evaluating this award are listed below.

Accomplishments Narrative
ENERGY STAR is committed to help people change for the better. Our goal is to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions through superior energy efficiency. How are you helping to achieve that
goal? Please write a narrative describing your company’s activities and accomplishments specific
to supporting ENERGY STAR’s objective. Your narrative should:
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Be no more than five pages, but may be accompanied by electronic samples of specific
promotions, advertisements, or other activities your organization led in 2009.
Describe your company’s activities as specifically as possible.
Be consistent with the outline below, to the extent the activities are relevant to your
organization.

Executive Summary (300 words or less)—Please provide a brief overview of your organization
and the highlights of key accomplishments that make you eligible for this ENERGY STAR award.
In the event that you are chosen to receive an award, this text will be the basis used in preparing a
summary of your organization's achievements. The Executive Summary will not count toward the
five-page limit.
Accomplishments—Organizations applying for the Partner of the Year Award should provide a
detailed description of your 2009 accomplishments demonstrating how you have met the
required criteria.
Cumulative Accomplishments—When highlighting cumulative accomplishments, please ensure
that you include a time frame (e.g., saved $3 million in 2009 and more than $10 million since
2001).
Product Qualification Efforts
• Number of ENERGY STAR qualified models/option packages and percentage change over previous
year.

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Percentage of product line that is ENERGY STAR qualified (for windows/doors/skylights: percentage
of all models/option packages offered that is ENERGY STAR qualified, percentage of models for
which the standard version is ENERGY STAR qualified, and the percentage of models that can be
upgraded to ENERGY STAR).
Percentage of total sales that were ENERGY STAR qualified and percentage change over
previous year.
Information concerning new ENERGY STAR models/option packages developed/qualified in
2009 including a brief description of innovation in product design for energy efficiency.

Labeling Efforts
• Confirm that minimum labeling requirements are met on products, packaging, Web site, spec
sheets, user manuals, etc. (please provide examples or pictures).
• Demonstrate activities that go above and beyond minimum labeling requirements (e.g. use of
the new web tool for product labeling provided by EPA/DOE
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=manuf_res.web_based_tools, unique or highly
prominent use of the logo on product or packaging in terms of size, location, etc. while still
meeting the ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines).
Training Efforts
• Integration of ENERGY STAR into your organization’s sales force and employee training
(please provide a description of efforts and include physical or photographic examples, where
available, as well as scope, number of employees reached, and any other measures of impact
– e.g. training manuals/newsletters, e-mails, new employee packets, presentations, etc.).
• Cooperation with distributors, retailers, or utility/state/regional partners to increase ENERGY
STAR information in customer (retail/distributor) product knowledge training (please provide a
description of efforts -- e.g. collateral, e-mail/web-based, video, manuals/newsletters, emails,
face-to-face presentations, specification sheets, etc.). Include physical or photographic
examples, where available, as well as scope, number of employees reached, and any other
measures of impact.
• Collaboration with EPA/DOE in the development of training activities.
Sales and Marketing, including Co-marketing Activities with Retailers and/or Utility/State
Efficiency Program Sponsors
• Demonstration of ENERGY STAR qualified products sales efforts including ENERGY STAR
integration in exhibits at key industry tradeshows and presentations/meetings/communications
for product suppliers/distributors/retailer.
• Leadership and/or participation in promotions in conjunction with campaigns coordinated by
EPA and DOE (e.g. Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR) where applicable.
• Leadership and/or participation in other cooperative promotions such as those with utility/state
efficiency program sponsors, retailers, resellers, key distributors or suppliers (e.g. advertising,
in-store, web-based).
• In addition to a description of the promotion and the roles of participants, please include
specifics on the duration, reach and impact.
Consumer/End User Education
• ENERGY STAR-themed community outreach activities/messaging public relations efforts,
special events, press releases (please submit details of quality, quantity, frequency, and
reach).
• Print, radio, television, direct mail advertising, brochures with ENERGY STAR messages and
logo (please submit details of quality, quantity, frequency, and reach).
• Point-of-Purchase (POP) materials such as brochures, displays, window clings and signage
(please submit photographs, examples, and data on reach).

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Incorporation of ENERGY STAR logo and messaging on company Web site.
Inclusion of environmental messaging in any of the above activities.

Cross cutting efforts that have been incorporated into company practices (as applicable)
These efforts are not required but can serve to further enhance your application.
• Partnership/leadership in revising and developing new ENERGY STAR specifications (where
applicable for your product category).
• Participation in the development of data tools, such as Find-a-Product and On-line Product
Submittal system. Provide product and marketing data using these tools.
• Participation in other EPA partnership programs, such as Smartway, Climate Leaders, and
Green Power partnership.
• Commitment to organization-wide facility energy efficiency improvements.
• Organizational procurement practices of energy efficient and/or ENERGY STAR qualified
products.
• Participation in the Low Carbon IT program.
• Implemented energy efficiency improvements in company facility and pursued ENERGY STAR
certification for building. Give preference to leasing space from ENERGY STAR labeled
buildings.

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