OMB Control No. 2060-0586

EPA Form 5900-17 1 of 4 2/16/2011

The government estimates the average time needed to fill out this form is 1.25 hours and welcomes suggestions for reducing this effort. Send comments (referencing OMB Control Number) to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S. EPA (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. 

# Program Sponsor Partnership Agreement For

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR ®

Return this form to ENERGY STAR: HomePerformance@EnergyStar.gov US EPA (Mail Code 6202J) 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Washington, DC 20460

FAX: 202-343-2200



### Eligible Organizations: Organizations that implement a residential home improvement program that

meets the criteria for Home Performance with ENER GY STAR, a joint U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy program.

Through this agreement, ENERGY STAR and _______________________________________________ (hereafter “the Partner”) agrees to work in cooperation to promote Home Performance with ENERGY STAR under the program name ____________________________________ (hereafter “the program”).

Organization Name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Contact Name: _____________________________________ Email: ________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________ City/State/Zip: __________________________________

Telephone: _________________ Fax: __________________ Web Site: _____________________________________

Major Metro Area(s) Served: _________________________________________________________________________



### Partner Commitments

The following are the terms of the ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement for Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) Program Sponsors. Guidance on this agreement is available at: www.energystar.gov/hpwessponsors.

A. ENERGY STAR Brand Requirements –The partner agrees to comply with ENERGY STAR branding requirements

as follows:

1. Comply with current ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines , (available at www.energystar.gov ) which describe how

the ENERGY STAR marks, marketing graphics, and name may be used. The Partner is responsible for adhering to these guidelines and for ensuring that its authorized repres entatives, such as impl ementation contractors, advertising agencies, and participating contractors are also in compliance. In order for the Partner to ensure compliance, the Partner must maintain a current list of authorized representatives which ENERGY STAR may request to verify compliance.

2. The Partner is responsible for t he proper use of the ENERGY STAR mar ks, as well as the proper use of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR marketing graphic used by participatin g program contractors.

3. Feature the appropriate ENERGY STAR marks(s) on Partner’s Web site and in other promotional materials. To link to the Partner on the ENERGY STAR web site, the Partner must first comply with the ENERGY STAR Web Linking Policy found on the ENERGY STAR Web site.

4. Submit all Web site designs, and marketing material s, developed for the Partner’s Home Performance with

ENERGY STAR promotions to ENERGY STAR (using the addre ss listed above) for review to ensure accuracy of

ENERGY STAR marks used and consistency of the ENERGY STAR message. The Partner will allow a minimum of five full working days for ENERGY STAR to review and approve Web site designs and marketing materials.

5. Provide Home Performance with ENERGY STAR training to all employees who provide customer service. This training shall include: a) a description of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, b) tips for answering questions about Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, and c) information on the economical and environmental benefits of energy efficiency.

6. Notify ENERGY STAR (using the address listed above) of a change in the designated responsible party or contacts for this agreement within 30 days.OMB Control No. 2060-0586

EPA Form 5900-17 2 of 4 2/16/2011

The government estimates the average time needed to fill out this form is 1.25 hours and welcomes suggestions for reducing this effort. Send comments (referencing OMB Control Number) to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S. EPA (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460.

B. Program Plan Requirements – The Partner agrees to develop and submit a Program Plan to HPwES as follows:

1. Develop and submit a program plan to implement HPwES using the Program Plan Guidance available at www.energystar.gov/hpwessponsors.

2. After the Partner s ubmits a program plan along with a signed Partnership Agreement, ENERGY STAR will review them for approval. Once approved, the Partner will be listed as an ENERGY STAR Partner. 3. The Program Plan shall be updated annually to reflect the current practices of the program.

NOTE: Help on Program Plan development is available directly from HP wES support staff. To request assistance

contact HomePerformance@EnergyStar.gov



### .

C. Program Requirements - The Partner agrees to promote whole-house evaluation and building science-based energy improvements to existing homes. The goal of HPwES is making cost-effective, energy-efficient improvements to homes. The program shall consist of the following components:

1. Home Performance Assessment or “Test-in”. An energy specialist trained in building science principles will perform a Home Performance Assessment (HPA) which will include a visual and diagnostic energy inspection of the home using a form standardized for t he program. See HPwES Sponsor Guide at www.energystar.gov/hpwessponsors for HPA details.

2. Inspection Results and Recommended Improvements. Improvements to the home will be recommended based on the initial inspection and homeowner interview. The homeowner will be given a review of the findings and provided with a summary report including: a. A summary of HPA findings b. Improvement recommendations c. An estimation of costs for the improvements d. An estimation of energy savings from implementing the recommendations. NOTE: Recommendations for improvem ents will be on a fuel-neutral basis. NOTE: See HPwES Sponsor Guide at www. energystar.gov/hpwessponsors for details.

3. Installation of measures. The program will help homeowners identify qualified contractors able to implement the HPA recommendations. This can either be the par ticipating contractor providing the inspection and recommendations or other contractors qualified in ho me energy inspection, building science, and proper installation techniques. All installed measures will be in accordance with industry best practices. See HPwES Sponsor Guide at www.energystar.gov/hpwessponsors for details.

4. Post-Installation Tests or “Test-out”. Documentation of improvements and di agnostic testing (test-out) will be used to verify the performance of installed measures as we ll as to meet health and safety standards. A summary of the final tests will be given to the homeowner. The resu lts may be in the form of a “Summary Certificate”. See the HPwES Sponsor Guide at www.energystar.gov/hpwessponsors for details.

D. Program Quality Assurance (QA) Requirements –The Partner, either directly or through it’s implementation contactor, will administer a quality assurance (QA) program that meets t he following minimum requirements (See HPwES Sponsor Guide at www.energystar.gov/hpwessponsors for additional guidance on program QA):

1. All participating contractors will agree to the terms of a participation agreement establ ished by the Partner. The terms of the contractor participat ion agreement will include a requirement to comply with the current ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines and properly use the HPwES logo. All jobs performed by contractors who agree to these requirements and sign the agreement (i.e. “participating contractor”) must be reported to the Partner after a Home Performance Assessment is completed and some recommended improvements are completed.

2. All job reports will be reviewed by the Partner based on protocols established by the Pa rtner to identify quality of service problems associated with jobs completed by part icipating contractors. If needed, the Partner may followup with a contractor or conduct an on-site inspecti on to verify the quality of the service provided.OMB Control No. 2060-0586

EPA Form 5900-17 3 of 4 2/16/2011

The government estimates the average time needed to fill out this form is 1.25 hours and welcomes suggestions for reducing this effort. Send comments (referencing OMB Control Number) to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S. EPA (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. 3. In addition to the above, the Partner will conduct on-site inspections, at a set inspection rate, of the work of all participating contractors. The minimum on-site job insp ection rate is set at 5% (1 in every 20 jobs).

NOTE: It is recommended that the Partner establish an adjustable on-site inspection rate for contractors based on job experience and performance. This inspection ra te reduces as the contract or gains experience in the program and as on-site inspections show the contractor is performing well. Contactors may drop down a tier if performance slips. Here is the recommended set of tiers:

a. Tier 1 Contractor - The first 3-5 jobs will be inspected on-site or mentored.

b. Tier 2 Contractor - 20% of the next 20 jobs are inspected on-site (4 out of 20).

c. Tier 3 Contractor - 5% of all jobs inspected on-site (1 in 20).

4. All Partners are required to have a systematic customer feedback mechanis m which allows customers to provide feedback directly to the Partner. Negative feedback must be addressed.

5. All Partners must record and track their inspections, rate of inspections, findings, and corrective actions. Records must be available for review when requested.

NOTE: HPwES is a voluntary program and QA communications with participating contractors should be delivered in a positive spirit of assistance, educ ation and continuous improvement.

NOTE: Partners may authorize an independent entity to revi ew reports, initiate customer feedback, follow-up on problems, perform on-site inspections, and document actions.

E. Program Data Reporting Requirements –The Partner, either directly or th rough it’s implementation contractor, will provide ENERGY STAR (using the address listed above) with data to assist in determining the effects of the program and to ensure that QA is being performed by all Partners. (See HPwES Sponsor Guide at www.energystar.gov/hpwessponsors for additional guidance on data reporting requirements.)

1. Provide to ENERGY STAR, on a quarterly basis and in electronic format, the following minimum data:

a. Number and names of participating contractors

b. Number of completed jobs per contractor

c. Number of on-site inspections completed per contractor This information is due by April 30th for the first quarter, July 31st for the second quarter, October 31st for the third quarter, and January 31st for the fourth quarter.

*NOTE: Partners that do not submit quarterly reports will be consider ed inactive and removed from the ENERGY STAR web site. In addition, to remain active, the Partner must report a minimum of 50 jobs per year. A new program has 2 years to meet this requirement.

2. In addition to quarterly reporting, an annual summary report (due by December 15th for the current calendar year) is required. This annual report will include at a minimum: a. An annual summary of contractor recruitment/training activities, b. Quality assurance activities, c. Marketing activities, and d. Future program plans. This report should be less than three pages and can be used in a Partner’s application for an ENERGY STAR

Award.



### ENERGY STAR Commitments to Partners:

1. Increase awareness of HPwES by distributing key me ssages on the benefits of a whole-house approach to improving energy efficiency.

2. Provide current HPwES news, information, and reference documents (via the ENERGY STAR Web site, Hotline, e-mail or other means).

3. Provide ENERGY STAR Partners with public recognition for their involvement in HPwES.

4. Respond swiftly to any Partner request for in formation or clarification on HPwES policies.OMB Control No. 2060-0586

EPA Form 5900-17 4 of 4 2/16/2011

The government estimates the average time needed to fill out this form is 1.25 hours and welcomes suggestions for reducing this effort. Send comments (referencing OMB Control Number) to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S. EPA (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460.



### General Terms and Disclaimers:

1. The Partner will not construe, claim or imply that its participation in ENERGY STAR constitutes federal government approval, acceptance, or endorsement of anything other than the Partner’s commitment to ENERGY STAR. Partnership does not consti tute federal government endorsement of the Partner or its services.

2. The Partner understands t hat the activities it undertakes in connecti on with ENERGY STAR are voluntary and not intended to provide services to the federal governmen t. As such, the Partner will not submit a claim for compensation to any federal agency.

3. The Partner and ENERGY STAR will assume good faith as a general principle for resolving conflict and will seek to resolve all matters informally , so as to preserve maximum public confidence in ENERGY STAR.

4. This agreement is voluntary and can be terminated by ei ther party at any time for an y reason. Failure to comply with any of the terms of this partnersh ip agreement can result in its termina tion. Termination of the partnership will

result in the termination and cessation of access to t he benefits of ENERGY STAR, including allowance to use any ENERGY STAR marks.

5. ENERGY STAR will actively pursue resolution of noncom pliance related to the use of the ENERGY STAR marks.



### To be completed by Partnering Organization

Representative with authority to commit partnering organization to the terms of this agreement

(printed name): ______________________________________________________________

Title: _________________________ E-mail: ____________________________Phone __________________

Signature: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________________

To be completed by ENERGY STAR representative:

Jonathan Passe, U.S. EPA

Signature: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________________