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Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program Community Challenge Pilot Rules

CHALLENGE SPONSORSHIP. The Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program (Program) is sponsoring an Energy Efficiency Program Challenge Pilot (Challenge), which will be administered by CNT Energy (CNT). The Challenge will be held from January 1, 2013 through April 30, 2013 within the two participating communities of Evanston, Illinois and Oak Park, Illinois.

The Sponsor’s address is: Nicor Gas, P.O. Box 190, Aurora, IL 60507-0190. Questions regarding these rules or any other aspect of the Challenge should be directed to CNT at 773.321.2665, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit NicorGasRebates.com/challenge.

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION. The purpose of the Challenge is to jump start community efforts toward increased energy efficiency and sustainability goals by promoting Nicor Gas’ energy efficiency incentives in these communities.

Participating communities shall ask homeowners, businesses and their communities as a whole to participate in one or more of the following six Nicor Gas Program components:

1. Multi-Family Home Energy Savings
2. Home Energy Savings
3. Home Energy Efficiency Rebate
4. Behavioral Energy Savings
5. Business Energy Efficiency Rebate
6. Small Business Energy Savings

CNT Energy will work with participating community leaders and organizations to promote these Program components.

To participate in the Challenge, each community must agree to the terms specified herein and that the decisions of Nicor Gas as the sponsor are final and binding.

ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE. The Program components involved in the Challenge are open to all residential and business customers located within their respective community’s corporate limits and that receive natural gas service from Nicor Gas (and electricity service from Commonwealth Edison where required for joint gas/electric programs) and meet the eligibility and program requirements of the specific Nicor Gas Program component(s) in which they participate. The home or business must be located within a community’s corporate limits as of January 1, 2013; zip codes do not define eligibility as zip codes may overlap with other communities.

Homes and businesses that participated in the Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program prior to January 1, 2013 are not eligible to participate in this Challenge, except for Home Energy Savings participants from October-December 2012, who will receive points.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE. Go to NicorGasRebates.com/challenge for a description of each of the available Program components and their requirements. Follow the instructions specific to each Program component and sign up as appropriate. All participants that meet the entry deadlines noted below for each Program component will qualify for the prize points and awards.

ENTRY DEADLINES. The following is a Program component-by-component description of applicable entry deadlines. The final results and prize and award winners will be announced by May 10, 2013:

1. Multi-Family Home Energy Savings – Property appointments must be scheduled or work be completed by April 30, 2013.
2. Home Energy Savings –Home energy assessment must be scheduled or be completed by April 30, 2013. Community residents who scheduled an HES audit from October 2012 will be counted.
3. Home Energy Efficiency Rebate – Application must be received or work be completed by April 30, 2013. Please allow adequate mailing time to meet this deadline as submissions after this date will be excluded from the Challenge. Any lost, late, misdirected, incomplete or illegible applications will be deemed ineligible.
4. Behavioral Energy Savings – A sign-up and link to your gas account on EnergyBUZZ must occur by April 30, 2013. Only Nicor Gas customers with an active “My Account” online account are eligible. Business Partner sign up must occur by April 30, 2013.
5. Business Energy Efficiency Rebate - Application must be received by April 30, 2013.Please allow adequate mailing time to meet this deadline as submissions after this date will be excluded from the Challenge. Any lost, late, misdirected, incomplete or illegible applications will be deemed ineligible.
6. Small Business Energy Savings – Property assessment must be scheduled or completed by April 30, 2013.

PRIZES.Nicor Gas EEP will provide energy efficient measures and services to each community up to a prize amount determined by participation in Nicor Gas EEP programs as outlined below. The specific prize awarded to each community shall be granted to a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status, properly registered as a not-for-profit corporation with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, and located within the community’s corporate limits as of January 1, 2013 (zip codes do not define eligibility as zip codes may overlap with other communities) (the “non-profit”). Each community will conduct a community survey to determine which non-profit meeting the above qualifications shall be granted the prize and the community will communicate the results of that survey to Nicor Gas within 14 days of the public announcement of the start of the Challenge. Nicor Gas shall have final approval of the non-profit. The total prize amount to each community shall not exceed $25,000. Each community’s non-profit must use the prize amount for the purchase of energy efficient equipment and measures that result in lower energy usage by the non-profit, as well as to pay for labor costs determined by the scope of the project on behalf of the non-profit. The non-profit will not receive any prize in the form of an advance payment or cash donation; payment shall be by reimbursement from Nicor Gas to the non-profit for the non-profit’s qualifying purchase. Reimbursement shall be made by check or wire transfer within 30 days after Nicor Gas receives all requested documentation regarding the non-profit’s purchase and Nicor Gas inspects the non-profit’s purchase. The prize is non-transferable, except at the discretion of Nicor Gas.

Every qualified participant that meets deadline and eligibility requirements for participation in one or more of the six Programs shall earn a total of 50 points for their respective community, per program. Each non-profit in the community that has been designated as the prize project shall receive energy efficiency equipment and measures up to the amount of points earned, up to a maximum $25,000. (As examples: if a community score is 10,000 points, the prize for that community shall receive up to $10,000 in energy efficiency equipment and measures as a prize; or if a community score is 30,000 points, the prize shall be up to $25,000 in energy efficiency measures and products as a prize).

In addition to monetary award to the winning community, each participating community will receive either a gold, silver, or bronze plaque, or a certificate for their efforts. The chart below shows how many qualified participants the community needs in order to receive the associated plaque or certificate:

The participant counts for each participating community in the Challenge will be posted on the NicorGasRebates.com/challenge website weekly, with final results posted approximately one month after the end of the Challenge, once the number of participants has been verified.

Participating communities agree that Nicor Gas has the sole right to determine the amount of prize funding awarded, the projects that the funding will support and all matters or disputes arising from the Challenge and that their decision is final and binding. Further, Nicor Gas reserves the right to substitute a comparable prize of like, lesser or greater value for any reason.

SELECTION OF A COMMUNITY PROJECT. The community agrees that 100% of the prize funding awarded will be used for an energy efficiency project or multiple projects that can utilize one or more of the available Nicor Gas energy efficiency programs. The specific community project, as well as the Nicor Gas program(s) leveraged for incentives, will be determined by the participating community, subject to agreement and approval by Nicor Gas. The building must be privately owned. Nicor Gas reserves the right to reject any and all proposed projects at its sole discretion. While the participating community is required to propose the project(s), Nicor Gas has the final say on the selection of the project recipient and may reject any or all projects at its sole discretion.

The proposed project(s) must be chosen within 14 days of the public announcement of the start of the Challenge, so that Nicor non-profit(s) can determine the project selection process and award distribution(s) during the effective dates of the Challenge. Each project designee must sign a letter of intent noting that they will go through with the energy efficiency project once project selection is finalized by Nicor Gas.

If the chosen project requires a comprehensive audit to assure the building is in good standing to move forward with energy efficiency measures, then a designated Nicor Gas Implementation Contractor will provide an assessment of the building and determine costs before being awarded the prize funding. Energy efficiency measures taken will be determined in conversations with the participating community and non-profit.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY.

1. Use of Community’s Results for Promotional Purposes. By entering, each participating community grants Nicor Gas permission, without further compensation, to use the community’s name and results for promotional purposes in connection with the Challenge.
2. Release of Liability. The participating community agrees to release Nicor Gas and its parent, affiliates, employees, officers, agents and contractors, as well as their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, employees, officers, agents and subcontractors from any and all claim, loss, liability, damage or injury of any kind arising from or relating to participation in the Challenge.

TAXES. The winning community and non-profit shall be responsible for all applicable taxes.

FORCE MAJEURE. Nicor Gas reserve the right, in their sole discretion and without prior notice, to cancel, suspend or modify this Challenge, in whole or part, should causes beyond their control prevent the successful administration or prize award.