Section 411.315  Survey Implementation

a)         The jurisdictional entities shall comply with the following requirements in implementing the survey:

1)         Each jurisdictional entity shall identify the most effective sampling frame from which to draw the sample.  Whichever sampling frame option is chosen, a jurisdictional entity should continue with the chosen option for all subsequent tracking studies unless the independent reviewer finds cause to recommend an alternative sampling frame. Sampling frame options include:

A)        A jurisdictional entity's customer database. If the jurisdictional entity does not have the contact information for a randomly selected customer, it shall attempt to locate the contact information in other available utility databases or purchase the contact information from an outside data provider;

B)        Random digit dial for telephone surveys; and

C)        Purchased lists;

2)         An independent reviewer, such as a market research firm, shall review the sampling methodology and response rates each year to confirm that survey results adequately represent the entire population and are expected to be standard among jurisdictional entities.  If a jurisdictional entity's survey results do not adequately represent the entire population and/or are not expected to be standard among jurisdictional entities, the independent reviewer shall recommend specific remedies or an alternative sampling frame for the following year;

3)         Each jurisdictional entity shall provide the name of a contact person, if available from its database, to respond to the survey for any randomly selected industrial customer known to be an industrial customer at the time of selection;

4)         A jurisdictional entity shall not volunteer the name of any specific electricity provider during the course of the survey interview;

5)         A jurisdictional entity shall not offer incentives to encourage survey respondents to participate;

6)         Jurisdictional entities shall not add questions to the survey;

7)         In a single year, for telephone surveys, the same trained team of interviewers shall be used to ensure consistency in conducting the interviews;

8)         For telephone surveys, interviewers shall be trained to conduct the interviews effectively and efficiently to minimize any potential for interviewer bias;

9)         All jurisdictional entities that conduct the survey by telephone shall use, or cause to be used, a computer-assisted telephone interview software package that allows answers to be directly entered; and

10)        All jurisdictional entities that conduct the survey via internet shall allow answers to be directly entered by the respondent.

b)         Jurisdictional entities are encouraged to join together to hire a single research firm to execute the survey. If the jurisdictional entities elect to use a market research firm, the number of attempts promised by the firm, as well as the firm's past success at achieving a high response rate, shall be included in the selection criteria for the firm. Requests for proposals shall specify that the market research firm complies with the specifications of Sections 411.310 and 411.315 of this Part.

c)         Jurisdictional entities shall pre-test the survey instrument with a total of 30 randomly selected residential respondents and 30 randomly selected non-residential respondents for all the jurisdictional entities combined.  If any portion of the survey instrument is confusing to respondents, then the jurisdictional entities shall propose wording changes that preserve the meaning but provide clarity.  These proposed wording changes shall be subject to approval by the Commission.

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 5653, effective March 22, 2022)