All aspects of utility-sponsored energy efficiency efforts, including, but not limited to, measures, programs, and reports are potentially subject to Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification (EM&V).

All EM&V activities undertaken as part of a utility-sponsored program, including, but not limited to, estimation of energy efficiency savings and process evaluations, shall be conducted consistent with the Arkansas Technical Reference Manual (TRM) and with national best program evaluation practices as established by the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency (“NAPEE”), the State & Local Energy Efficiency Action (“SEE Action”) Network, the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (“IPMVP”), or other similar nationally or internationally accepted EM&V standards.

The TRM shall set forth Protocols for EM&V activities. An organization selected by a program administrator to conduct EM&V activities shall be independent of the organization or organizations involved in the particular EE program design, management, and implementation, such that the verification professionals conducting or reviewing evaluations have no financial stake, beyond the evaluation contract itself, in the program or program components being evaluated.