MaP Testing

Gauley Associates, Ltd – Koeller & Company

PROCESS FOR EVALUATING SPECIAL TECHNICAL
AND NON-TECHNICAL REQUESTS

GENERAL:

This process is intended for evaluating ideas, concepts, new products, technologies, and other items brought forth by individuals, companies, and other organizations (“applicants”) requesting technical evaluation, market research, and/or the identification of funding sources for product development. It is directed at providing an independent platform where products, product prototypes or ideas, technologies, or inventions can be fairly assessed and evaluated within the context of the North American water efficiency marketplace.
 
General types or focus of inquiries covered:
  1. Requests for technical evaluation of a product or technology, including testing in the field and/or in a laboratory.
  2. Requests for a “professional opinion” of a product or technology.
  3. Requests for “endorsement” of a product or technology.
  4. Requests for focused research about the particular market in which the product might participate, including the water utility market, the general consumer market, and/or the market encompassing design professionals and specifiers.
  5. Request for assistance in locating funding and/or venture partners for product research, development, engineering, marketing, and/or other related tasks.


PROCESS:

 
Two levels of evaluation are available:
 
Level 1: Applicant ideas and concepts for which no physical product or product prototype is available and for which the applicant is requesting a non-technical evaluation, e.g., market assessment, determination of standards and codes that would be applicable to the intended product, estimate of water savings potential, prediction of likely water utility interest in subsidizing the intended product, identifying partners and manufacturers for the applicant to contact, and similar.
 
Level 2: Same elements as Level 1 but a physical product, technology, prototype or other item is provided for which a technical assessment (e.g., laboratory testing, field testing, etc.) is also requested.
 
Once contacted by a potential applicant, Gauley/Koeller shall provide that applicant with one or more Support Request documents that outline and initiate the following process:
  1. Applicant shall complete and submit the Support Request document describing the product/technology or concept, its application within the marketplace, and the particulars of the assistance request. Applicant shall provide all information, data, and/or reports of previous studies pertinent to the requested action.
  2. Determination will be made by Gauley/Koeller as to the level of complexity of the request and whether it constitutes a Level 1 or Level 2 process.
  3. Applicant shall submit a check made payable to ‘MaP-Testing’ in the amount of $500US which shall be considered a Screening Fee. This Screening Fee is intended to fund the necessary investigation needed to develop a general Level 1 “opinion of viability”. This opinion may relate to technical product-related issues or non-technical items such as marketability, competition, water savings potential, behavioral limitations, cost-effectiveness, or the like. The Screening Fee may be increased prior to the start of work if the complexity or breadth of the request indicates that extra resources might be required to complete the process. In the event that the determination made in 2. above indicates a full Level 2 effort, then fees shall be calculated and collected in accordance with item 5 below.
  4. Technical staff of Gauley/Koeller shall complete a Level 1 evaluation and provide a draft written opinion to the applicant within 15 business days thereafter. The document will identify further actions that are recommended as a result of the evaluation OR may recommend no such follow-on actions. It is expected that Level 1 reports will be brief in nature – often no more than a single page – and may contain no more than the “professional opinion” of one or more reviewers.
  5. Level 2 analyses would be tailored to the request, the product, and the feasibility of conducting physical product evaluations. At the time a Level 2 analysis is requested or is determined to be required in Step 2 above, technical staff will estimate the cost for the evaluation and provide such information to the applicant, however, an initial deposit of $500 is required to initiate Level 2 (this deposit will be deducted from the final cost of the Level 2 analysis). Discussions and/or negotiations with the applicant may be required before a mutually satisfactory scope of work and cost are developed. Before commencing the Level 2 work, 60 percent of the total estimated cost must be provided in a check made payable to ‘MaP-Testing’.
  6. Work will be scheduled in accordance with a written agreement with the applicant. Once the work is completed, a final report will be issued and the balance of funds (40 percent) will be immediately due and payable from the applicant.
  7. In the event that the final report is to be made public by the applicant, then Gauley/Koeller shall be permitted to post the full report on the website www.MaP-testing.com without further compensation between the parties.


CONTACTS:

Bill Gauley, P.Eng.
Gauley Associates, Ltd.
Acton, Ontario
Tel. (519) 853-4057
bill@gauley.ca

John Koeller, P.E.
Koeller & Company
Yorba Linda, California
Tel. (714) 777-2744
koeller@earthlink.net

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