### [Insert Irrigation Professional Name Here]



## 201 3 Irrigation Partner of the Year Written Statement Template

Please c omplete, s ave, and u pload to your award a pplication. Compose your written statement by addressing

the evaluation criteria below based only on your activities in 201 2 , unless otherwise requested. Your written

statement must be no more than six (6) pages in length . Organize and label your statement using the categories listed below (e.g., “ Promotional, Educational, and Outreach Activities ”). The point values following each category indicate the maximum potential value for all activities within that category. Some partners may not be able to address all of the evaluation criteria, but may be eligible for an Excellence Award if they exhibit outstanding accomplishments in one of the fol lowing categories.

Remember that Partner of the Year awards are based on activities that increase awareness about the WaterSense program, labeled products, new homes and services . General education on the importance of water efficiency is valued, but the focus of your application should be on activities that specifically integrated WaterSense. If you choose to submit supporting materials that complement your written statement, which is recommended, clearly reference each supporting material in your written statement (preferably with annotations).



## Evaluation Criteria

1. Promotional, Educational, and Outreach Activities ( 40 points)

Describe how you used your WaterSense partnership to attract customers, promote WaterSense

, or demonstrate your commitment to water efficiency. For example, highlight how you used the WaterSense partner logo in conjunction with your name on websites, business cards, or other marketing materials.

Describe how you used the following Water Sense m aterials to educate customers or others:

– Wat erSense irrigation partner tool kit materials (e.g., brochures, press releases, bill stuffers, checklists, window clings, or stickers)

– WaterSense website

Describe how you promoted WaterSense via online acti vities. Online promotions might include featuring

web content about WaterSense on your company website, hosting blogs, or frequently highlighting

WaterSense on social media ou tlets (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

. Explain how you educated your customers or potential customers on the importance of water efficiency

. This might include the use of water savings data and/or return on investment to make the case for water

efficient irrigation.

Discuss how you educated your customers on the use, care, and mainten ance of irrigation systems and proper scheduling for water savings. Dis cuss any efforts made to educate customers on detecting or preventing future leaks or faulty parts.

Describe how you educated employees, coworkers, builders, home builders/owners asso ciations

, and

oth ers in the industry about water efficiency and the WaterSense program.

2. Water

- Efficient Practices (

30 points)

Explain how you tracked water savings data to demonstrate benefits to current customers, attract new customers, or calculate return on investment. Provide data on the amount of water saved through water

efficient design, maintenance, or au dits, if available.

If you design and/or install irrigation systems , describe how you designed or installed systems for optimal water effici ency in 201 2 . Explain the types of water

- efficient technologies and design features that you used to enhance water efficiency.

If you maintain irrigation systems , describe how you made water efficiency a priority in system

maintenance in 201 2 . Describe up grades to existing systems that increased efficiency, or ongoing maintenance practices that allowed you to detect leaks, replace faulty parts, or otherwise ensure that the systems performed with optimal efficiency.

### [Insert Irrigation Professional Name Here]

If you perform irrigation audits , descri be what types of sites you audited in 201 2 (e.g., residential or commercial) and for what types of customers ( e.g., residential, commercial, or municipal). Explain the existing condition of the sites and the recommendations that you made for improvement. R eport water saved or potential water savings if recommendations were implemented.

If you provided any of the above services in conjunction with the certification of a WaterSense labeled new home, describe how your involvement contributed to a water

- effici ent landscape and the home earning the

WaterSense label.

3. Strategic Collaboration ( 30 points)

Describe how you have collaborated with other irrigation professionals or WaterSense partners or stakeholders (e.g., utilities, nonprofits, trade associations, state and local governments , builders, licensed certification providers, etc.) to further a common goal of increasing water efficiency. Provide quantifiable results, if possible, and describe how this collaboration relates to the WaterSense m ission.

Describe how and when you collaborated with the WaterSense program and other stake holders to develop technical specifications for new WaterSense labeled product s or practice categories. ( You may include specification support that began prior to b ut continued into 201 2 .)