2013 SmartWay Excellence Award Webinar
Questions & Answers
1) Which data submission is being used to assess the 2013 Excellence Award and when was that due?
EPA identifies Award candidates based on a full review of SmartWay data submission (Partner Tool) from the
most recent, completed annual reporting cycle from all partner categories. For example, the 2013 Award is
based on all Tool submissions during the 2012 calendar year. The 2014 Awards will be based on this year's
submissions.
2) What is considered "partner in good standing" and "timely" Submission of the tool/data?
To be eligible for consideration, qualified companies must be Partners in good standing. In other words,
partners must have submitted timely and accurate required data via the Partner Tool in the 2012 reporting
cycle.
3) Can carriers be semi-finalists and do carriers need to submit anything else to be considered for the
award? Will there be runners-up? Is there anything extra that carriers can dootherthan what we have
submitted in the 2012 tool to help our standings to get into the finalist category?
No, carriers are not semi-finalists. EPA identifies carriers as finalists based on top environmental performance
in the SmartWay Partnership. No additional data, information, documentation or application is needed from
SmartWay carriers for 2013 Excellence Award consideration. There is no "runners-up" classification for any
partner category.
4) When and how will partners be notified if they are semifinalists or finalists? How do we know if we are
in the consideration set?
In early May, EPA will contact eligible Shipper and Logistics semi-finalists via email message, with a follow-up
hard copy letter, and a supplemental award application form. All Partner finalists from all categories will be
notified of their selection as awardees in August.
5) How can partners see where they rank in the 50/25/25 ratings? Is there a way to determine how we
rank compared to others in our group? Are carriers being judged against other similar carriers or against
their improvement from previous years?
All partners are assessed based on an EPA analysis that compares their performance to the peers in their
partner category (based on partner type, fleet type and company size).
EPA used an assessment process which combines each partner's CO2, NOx and PM (particulate matter)
emissions to arrive at a composite score that is used in identify top environmental performance.
For each competing group of partners such as shippers, carriers, or logistics companies, EPA created
distribution curves and ten deciles for each emission-metric combination. Each partner's performance is plotted
on the distribution curves to represent their emissions as compared to all other partners in the same competing
group. EPA segmented each emission-metric into 10 groups, or deciles. EPA then applies the formula for that
partner group toward calculating each fleet's composite score as follows:
• Carriers, shippers, logistics (with exceptions below): 50% CO2 + 25% NOx + 25% PM g/ton-mile
• Drayage Carriers: 25% CO2 + 25% NOx + 50% PM g/mile
• Package Carriers: 50% CO2 + 25% NOx + 25% PM g/mile
The product of the percentile (e.g., 50, 25 or 25) times the decile (1 through 10) is summed for each of the three
pollutants (CO2, NOx and PM) to create a composite score. Partners in each of their partner type (shipper,
carrier and logistics), fleet type (for carriers) and size (large/medium/small) are then ranked for assessment.
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2013 SmartWay Excellence Award Webinar
Questions & Answers
For shippers and logistics companies the "percent of miles shipped with SmartWay Partners" is also applied as
a first step. Shippers must be shipping effectively 98 % of miles with SmartWay Partners and Logistics must be
shipping effectively 80 % of miles with SmartWay Partners, to pass this step and be considered based on the
environmental assessment described above.
6) What measurement is used to rank the shippers in the top 1%?
About 5% of the shippers are selected as semi-finalists as described above. That group is invited to submit
additional information that demonstrates leadership achievements that support SmartWay strategic goals,
such as effective collaboration, advanced technology and operational practices, a robust system to validate
and report their SmartWay data, communications and public outreach. Those applications will be judged on a
point system that evaluates: 1) actual achievements and accomplishments, as well as activities, tasks and
efforts; 2) evidence, proof or documentation which substantiates submissions; and 3) quality and substance of
summaries and descriptions.
7) Will Rail carriers be considered for awards?
Rail partners that meet the top environmental performance carrier award criteria and have submitted a timely
and accurate Partner Tool in the 2012 reporting cycle are eligible for consideration for a 2013 Excellence
Award.
8) Do logistics providers have to submit anything prior to being selected as a semi finalist?
No, Logistics partners do not have to submit anything to EPA prior to being selected as a semi-finalist. EPA
identifies this pool of top-performing candidates for an award based on environmental performance, use of
SmartWay carriers to move their freight, and freight mileage with "large" and "medium/small" mileage
categories.
9) Does the EPA/SmartWay provide some sort of a media kit to encourage carriers to become involved
and join their shipper in participating in SmartWay?
Shippers are always encouraged to work with their carriers to help them register and engage in SmartWay, as
this helps strengthen and grow the partnership results. The SmartWay website has Program Highlights and
other documents available as well as instructions for carriers to register in the program. Shippers can contact
their SmartWay Partner Account Manager to acquire other materials such as presentations, articles and other
information. EPA is also available to do joint calls, webinars or occasional meetings to help educate potential
partners on the program.
10) How many Shippers will win in each category? For the large shippers, would it be only 1 to 2 possible
shippers?
About five percent of SmartWay Shipper Partners that demonstrate top environmental performance are
selected as semi-finalists. EPA then invites the semi-finalists to provide supplemental qualitative
documentation which demonstrates leadership efforts important to the Partnership and which support of
environmental SmartWay goals. The number ofawardeesfrom the Shipper Partner category ultimately
depends upon the number of semi-finalists that submit a completed application, as well as the quality of those
submissions.
11) Did EPA consider some type of joint "team" shipper/fleet category award?
No, EPA did not consider a joint team shipper/fleet category for the 2013 Excellence Award. The suggestion is
appreciated!
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2013 SmartWay Excellence Award Webinar
Questions & Answers
12) What is the differentiation between a logistics company and a shipper?
The Logistics partner category represents transportation intermediaries that serve as third-party brokers,
forwarders, and non-asset based carriers. The Shipper category represents firms who hire logistics firms
and/or commercial carriers to move their freight. EPA provides SmartWay calculator tools for each of these
partner categories to report on their freight activity. The environmental performance of a Logistics partner is
dependent upon the performance of the carriers they contract with, just as the environmental performance of
a Shipper partner is dependent upon the performance of the carriers and/or logistics firms they contract with.
13) Do carriers also receive "extra credit" for participating in other EPA data reporting?
The SmartWay Excellence Awards are intended to recognize the achievements of partners based entirely on the
environmental efficiency of their freight activity. Many industry leaders often excel in other areas of
environmental performance and are recognized for those efforts in other EPA programs. However, SmartWay
recognition does not include those considerations.
14) Is there a new tool available for 2012 or we are supposed to use the one from 2011?
There is a new carrier tool for the 2012 data year, which you will submit for your annual update this year. Go
to the SmartWay Website, and look for Partnership info (check the Trucks tab) at:
http://www.epa.aov/smartway/partnership/trucks.htm. Again, data submitted this year will be used to
evaluate Partners for award consideration in 2014.
15) What is considered a timely submission of the SmartWay tool?
A timely submission of the SmartWay Partner Tool occurs on or before the due date. This year's Partner Tool
submission due dates may be found on the SmartWay website at:
http://www.epa.aov/smartway/dates/index.htm Meeting these deadlines will be important for companies
that want to be considered for the 2014 awards.
16) Will EPA give an award in every partner category and for every type of partner?
E PA reserves the right to limit or expand partner awards based on the:
• overall performance of partners in each category
• quality of supplemental submissions
• adverse environmental enforcement screening results.
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