U.S. Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program
Building Construction Technology Extension Pilot
Client Impact Survey
OMB Control No. 0693-XXXX
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
A. JUSTIFICATION
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary
Sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and the Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy/Building Technologies Office (EERE/BTO) the Building Construction Technology Extension Pilot (BCTEP)(a three-year pilot) is focused on training building operators in the principles and practices of building energy systems re-tuning. Re-tuning is a systematic semi-automated process of identifying operational problems in commercial and industrial buildings. It leverages data collected from the building automation system to identify opportunities to improve the building operations and provides guidance on implementing corrections at no cost or very low cost, leading to a reduction in the overall energy consumption. Building automation describes the advanced functionality provided by the control system of a building. A building automation system (BAS) is an example of a distributed control system. The control system is a computerized, intelligent network of electronic devices designed to monitor and control the mechanical, electronics, and lighting systems in a building.
BAS core functionality keeps the building climate within a specified range, provides lighting based on an occupancy schedule, monitors system performance and device failures, and provides malfunction alarms (via email and/or text notifications) to building engineering/maintenance staff. The BAS functionality reduces building energy and maintenance costs when compared to a non-controlled building. A building controlled by a BAS is often referred to as an intelligent building or a smart home.
NIST MEP, in collaboration with the Department of Energy (EERE/BTO), has funded 3 projects in CA, NY and PA to develop, refine and test curricula for buildings that do and do not have building automation systems, then train trainers to deliver the curriculum to building operators, using real commercial, government and industrial buildings as the test beds.
The information collected will provide the MEP with information regarding Competitive Award Recipient performance regarding the delivery of technology and business solutions to U.S.-based clients.
The information collected will come directly from clients of BCTEP Competitive Award Recipients. This information will include quantified impacts on a client’s sales, cost savings, employment, and investment. These figures will be used to determine the effectiveness of the project work done by the Competitive Award Recipients, and to gauge the overall success of the BCTEP project.
The information collected for this project is very similar to the information collected previously approved by OMB - the MEP Center Operations survey (OMB Control No. 0693-0021); and the MEP Expanded Services Client Impact Survey - eCAR (Cooperative Agreement Recipient) survey (OMB Control No. 0693-0060).
2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will be used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection complies with all applicable Information Quality Guidelines.
NIST MEP will be disseminated to the public in aggregate—quantified impacts will be totaled for reports to stakeholders and the general public.
NIST MEP collects information from Competitive Award Recipient clients on a quarterly basis. The collected information will be used for the following purposes:
Program Accountability
Analysis and Research
Reports to Stakeholders
Continuous Improvement
Knowledge Sharing
Identification of Distinctive Practices
Award Recipient Evaluation
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information technology.
Collection of this information will be done through a web-based survey instrument. Respondents will be sent their login information and a link to the survey via email. MEP uses a 3rd-party survey vendor to manage the survey process. The process is outlined below.
A list of the award recipient’s clients is sent to the 3rd party survey vendor by MEP.
The survey vendor sends emails to the clients with a url to access the survey
Clients access the survey via email link in the email
3rd-party survey vendor sends reminder emails on a weekly basis to clients that have not completed the survey
Reminder emails can be sent more frequently if requested by award recipients
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
Due to the unique partnership relationship between BCTEP and the Competitive Award Recipients and their clients, comparable data is not collected from clients. Consultation with other offices within the Department of Commerce (DOC) have been used to gather background information about topics and about previously used approaches to increase knowledge base for the local Competitive Award Recipients. As a result, the information to be collected through this system will not duplicate any existing collection efforts.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.
Questions have been kept to a minimum in an effort to decrease the overall burden.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
The data collected will help NIST MEP and EERE/BTO monitor and evaluate the Competitive Award Recipients' participation in the project. The data will be collected on a quarterly basis and will enable NIST MEP and EERE/BTO to identify Competitive Award Recipients in need of immediate assistance. Less frequent collection of data would result in the unacceptable situation of making significant policy decisions on the basis of obsolete and potentially misleading information. It might also delay the provision of assistance to the Competitive Award Recipients.
If the information is not collected, NIST MEP and EERE/BTO staff will be unable to monitor Competitive Award Recipient performance and ensure that the project is meeting the goal of “training building operators in the principles and practices of building energy systems re-tuning…”
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
Not applicable.
8. Provide information of the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to
obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.
A Federal Register Notice soliciting public comments was published on Friday, June 7, 2013 (Vol. 78, page 34347). No comments were received.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
Not applicable.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
NIST MEP data collected will only be used in aggregate. There is no intent to publish or distribute the information collected, and the information collected will be used for only internal deliberations, except as required by Federal law, including the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.
Not applicable.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
The 50 clients/respondents annually x 15 minutes per respondent = 13 burden hours.
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in
Question 12 above).
Not applicable.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
The estimated cost of $5,000 is based on hosting the new survey on internal server, as well as additional man-hours needed to administer the survey, including programming and help desk activities.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.
This is a new information collection request.
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.
The data will be collected for internal review purposes and to monitor the Competitive Award Recipients, as well as for reporting to Congress. Reports dealing with the characteristics and performance of the Competitive Award Recipients will include trends, benchmarks, statistical tables and charts generated from the database. Information will be presented in the following methods:
Promotional/marketing brochures
Competitive Award Recipient Reports
Internal Reports
Presentations to NISTMEP and EERE/BTO stakeholders
Competitive Award Recipient Reviews
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.
Not applicable.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.
Not applicable.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | dyonder |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-29 |