(a) General. A RESP applicant must provide a Measurement and Verification (M&V) plan, satisfactory to the Administrator, to ensure the effectiveness of the energy efficiency loans made to its Qualified Consumers and that there is no conflict of interest in carrying out the EE Program.

(1) RUS acknowledges the broad nature of energy efficiency projects and diverse scope of EE Programs that can be carried out under RESP. A RESP applicant, and its designees, must exercise professional judgment in developing their M&V plans. The nature, scope, and complexity of the EE measures and activities will dictate the level of effort needed for quantifying and verifying the savings. The effort expended should be commensurate with the project capital investment and the risk of miscalculating the savings.

(2) A RESP applicant with an existing EE Program as of April 8, 2014, may submit for consideration the M&V plan previously established to fulfill this requirement.

(3) RUS may reject a loan application or refuse to disburse loan proceeds to an RESP borrower that fails to demonstrate that the Energy audits or M&V plan have been adequately implemented and performed by qualified individuals.

(4) The M&V plan should be based on generally accepted principles and use the best practices of the industry, reliable data, reasonable assumptions and verifiable analytical methodologies.

(5) The M&V plan must describe the organized activities that the RESP applicant will implement to facilitate the adoption of the Energy efficiency measures that will result in energy use or cost savings to the Qualified consumer.

(6) Energy savings should be determined by comparing measured energy unit values (consumption or demand) before and after the implementation of the EE measures, making appropriate adjustments for changes in conditions.

(7) The computation of the savings formula is as follow:

(b) M&V Techniques for measuring, calculating and reporting savings. The RESP borrower may address the M&V requirements by applying any of the following techniques recognized in the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol.

(1) The Retrofit Isolation with Key Parameter Measurement Option (RIKPM) alternative is based on a combination of measured and estimated factors. Measurements will be taken at the component or system level for both the baseline and the retrofit equipment and should include the key performance parameters that define the energy use of the energy conservation measure. Savings will be determined by calculating the baseline and reporting period energy use predicated on the measured and estimated values. Estimated values will have to be supported by historical or manufacturer's data.

(2) The Retrofit Isolation with All Parameter Measurement Option (RIAPM) option will be based on short-term, periodic or continuous measurements of baseline and post-retrofit energy use (or proxies of energy use) taken at the component or system level. Savings will be based on the analysis of the baseline and reporting-period energy use or proxies of energy use.

(3) The Whole Facility Measurement Option (WFMO) will be based on continuous measurement of the energy use (such as utility billing data) at the whole facility or sub-facility level during the baseline and post-retrofit periods. Savings will be established from the analysis of the baseline and reporting-period energy data.

(4) The Calibrated Simulation Option (CSO) is an alternative where computer simulations can be used to model energy performance of a whole facility (or sub-facility). Models must be calibrated with actual hourly or monthly billing data from the facility. In this option, savings will be determined by comparing a simulation of the baseline (after having calibrated the model) with either a simulation of the performance period or actual utility data.

(c) Use of deemed savings. A RESP applicant may elect to meet the M&V plan requirements by applying deemed savings values and calculations. If choosing this option, the RESP applicant's M&V plan must:

(1) Describe the process to stipulate with the Qualified consumer the values and assumptions for determining the energy savings.

(2) Identify the TRMs upon which the deemed savings values and assumptions are based. In the alternative, identify such other technical M&V studies reasonably applicable to the conditions of the RESP applicant's service area or such other detailed M&V studies performed by similar entities to determine deemed savings for identical or similar energy programs or energy efficiency measures.

(3) Describe the mechanism to ensure that deemed savings values and related calculations will be maintained and kept up to date.

(4) The approval by RUS of a M&V plan under this section is solely for the benefit of RUS. Approval of a plan pursuant to this section does not constitute an RUS endorsement of the M&V plan or an EE Program. RUS and its employees assume no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, product, service, or process funded directly or indirectly with financial assistance provided under RESP.

(d) Quality control. The RESP borrower must produce a detailed explanation, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrator, describing the methods and processes to verify that the installation of the EE measures for the EE program, for which those measures have been implemented were properly executed.

(1) The RESP borrower and the Qualified consumer must agree on the EE measures to be implemented based on a quantifiable and verifiable assessment of the impacts that such measures will have in reducing the Qualified consumer's energy cost or consumption.

(2) A RESP borrower may elect to engage a third-party contractor to carry out the assessments required in this Section and install the EE measures as long as there is no Conflict of interest.

(3) RESP borrower employees and third-party contractors engaged to carry out activities in the EE Program must be qualified and have adequate expertise to perform energy audits, retrofit installations, and do the quality control assessments according to the applicable industry best-practices. Individual's credentials and expertise should be accredited through one of the following options:

(i) Possessing a current Home Energy Professional Certification or a similar certification from a nationally, industry-recognized organization that is consistent with the Job Task Analyses Guidelines issued by the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory or its successor.

(ii) Possessing a current certification issued by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy in accordance with the Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines or its successor.

(iii) Producing evidence, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrator, that the individual possesses proficiency in the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform the tasks and critical work functions relevant to the duties assigned in the EE Program.

(4) A RESP borrower that elects to carry out the EE Program with a contractor, must validate and document the following:

(i) The contractor has adequate capacity and resources to engage with customers, conduct whole-property assessments, performance testing, diagnostic reasoning, and fulfill all data collection and reporting requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, having access to satisfactory diagnostic equipment, tools, qualified staff, data systems and software, and administrative support.

(ii) The contractor is current and in good standing with all applicable registration and licensing requirements for their specific jurisdiction and trade.

(iii) The contractor employs individuals (either its own employees or subcontractors) that are qualified to install or physically oversee the installation of home improvements in compliance with local building codes and industry-accepted protocols.

(5) A RESP borrower is responsible for actions or omissions departing from the required standards under this Section by third party partners or contractors employed in connection with an EE Program funded under this Section.

(6) The RESP loan documents are solely for the benefit of RUS and the RESP Borrower and nothing in the loan documents between RUS and the RESP borrower will confer upon any third party any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever. Neither RUS nor its employees makes any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to any information, product, service, or process available from a RESP borrower or its agents.