Supporting Statement_B_1910-5177 Final

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

The agency should be prepared to justify its decision not to use statistical methods in any case where such methods might reduce burden or improve accuracy of results. When Item 17 on the Form OMB 83-I is checked, “YES”, the following documentation should be included in the Supporting Statement to the extent that it applies to the methods proposed:

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection methods to be used.

Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample.

AMO will not be utilizing any sampling to collect information from the facilities, which will not be practical to achieve our program goals. Instead, we will be collecting data from each facility seeking SEP certification, each SEP verification body that is verifying certification, and each facility seeking 50001 Ready recognition. .

As described Supporting Statement A, it is estimated that 233 forms submitted annually, all from industrial, commercial and institutional sectors, to the forms associated with the Superior Energy Performance and 50001 Ready by 2020. DOE estimates that 100 facilities will apply for SEP certification annually by 2020, meaning that DOE will receive 100 SEP Application Forms from facilities and 100 SEP Energy Performance Improvement Reports from SEP Verification Bodies (which conduct the certification audits of the facilities).

It is estimated that there will be 100 respondents annually to the 50001 Ready program. Only 33 of these will submit either the 50001 Ready Baseline Reporting Template or the Energy Performance Lite Output File, not both.

This data collection is necessary in order to administer SEP and 50001 Ready. The data collected identifies facilities seeking certification (SEP Application Form), and provides information required to certify a facility to SEP (SEP Energy Performance Improvement Report). The 50001 Ready Baseline Reporting Template is necessary to check for appropriate implementation of 50001 Ready EnMS before granting initial 50001 recognition. The Energy Performance Lite Output File is necessary to check for positive improvement in energy performance in participants seeking to renew 50001 Ready recognition.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection, estimation procedure, Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose describe in the justification, unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and any use of periodic data collection cycles to reduce burden.

AMO will not be utilizing any sampling to collect information. As described in supporting statement A, we will be collecting data from each industrial facility seeking SEP certification or 50001 Ready recognition and each SEP verification body that is verifying certification (note: each facility’s SEP certification cycle is 3 years and each facility’s 50001 Ready recognition cycle is 1 year).

Following SEP certification, participants will be asked to complete two forms:

1. The Energy Performance Improvement Report (to be filled out by the Verification Bodies) and

2. Energy Performance Lite Output (to be filled out by the certified facility on a voluntary basis).

The Energy Performance Improvement Report is to verify that the facility has met SEP requirements. This form is filled out by the SEP Verification Body after a facility achieves SEP certification, to be submitted to the SEP Administrator. The voluntary cost benefit form is an optional form filled out by the certified facility after achieving SEP certification.

For 50001 Ready recognition, partners can use existing OMB-approved methods to report their energy data, namely the Better Buildings, Better Plants Annual Reporting Form (OMB Control No. 1910-5141). Facilities not in Better Buildings, Better Plants are asked to complete the 50001 Ready Baseline Reporting Template to confirm implementation of a 50001 Ready EnMS.

As described in supporting Statement A, SEP and 50001 Ready will primarily rely on data provided in an electronic format. Report collection for SEP is conducted on the SEP Database (https://www5.eere.energy.gov/amo_sep_database/). Similarly, 50001 Ready report collection is conducted on the 50001 Ready Navigator (https://navigator.industrialenergytools.com/ ).

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response.

The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections base on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield “reliable” data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

The Energy Performance Improvement Report is a mandatory form to be completed by the SEP verification body per the requirements for verification bodies (ANSI 50028, section 9.1.10.2). To get SEP certified, this form is required so we are not expecting any issues of non-response.

Reporting energy data is required to receive 50001 Ready recognition. Facilities not engaged in an existing federally administered energy efficiency program (e.g., Better Buildings), submission of the 50001 Ready Baseline Reporting Template is required.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken.

Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if the call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents.

A proposed test or set of test may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

No tests are planned at this time.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s) or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

Ridah Sabouni- Energetics Incorporated 202-406-4170

Yannick Tamm- Energetics Incorporated 202-406-4138

Prakash Rao- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 510-486-4410