Usage Reporting Requirements for Equipment Funded by the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan
The purpose of this page is to help you meet the terms of your TERP grant.
Usage Reporting Requirements
Grantees are required to monitor and report the following information for each piece of grant-funded equipment (activity):
- Where you operate the equipment (which counties)
- When you operate the equipment (dates)
- How much you operate the equipment (miles, gallons, and/or hours designated by the TCEQ in the grant contract)
Your approved grant application and the Scope of Work in the TERP grant contract detail the requirements of the equipment’s use.
Unless your contract specifically allows for other units of measurement, such as gallons of fuel used, the acceptable ways for measuring the equipment’s use are:
- ON-ROAD VEHICLES: Usage must be measured in MILES
- NON-ROAD EQUIPMENT: Usage must be measured in HOURS
Usage records can be any type of systematic, periodic written recording of the hours, miles, or gallons during operation, and the locations of each activity during the activity’s life. Records may be maintained as entries in a journal, logbook, calendar notes, or spreadsheet/database.
Your usage records should adequately show dates, locations (counties), hours, and miles or gallons of fuel, depending on your contract. It is very important that records are complete, accurate, and truthful.
As part of receiving grant funds, you agreed to submit a record of the equipment’s (activity’s) usage. The TERP program emails requests for Usage for the life of the activity.
Beginning January of 2023, the TERP program will email a link to submit usage online using the SUNSS submission portal. These usage reports are specific to the contract, containing information such as contact and certain activity details. The usage report usually covers a 12-month period. Your first usage report will cover the period from the disposition date of your old equipment through December 31st of the report year.
Didn’t receive an email requesting a Usage Report? You may still submit your usage online by clicking on this link: SUNSS submission portal.
If you prefer to submit usage by email or mail, complete one of the following Usage Reports based on your grant type.
- Usage Report – ERIG and Rebate Grants Program
- Usage Report – SPRY
- Usage Report – TNGVGP
- Usage Report – TCFP
- Usage Report – TCSB
The above Usage Reports contain instructions for emailing or mailing your completed UR to TERP.
If you are using GPS, purchased and serviced by the designated TERP GPS Monitoring Service (TGMS) Contractor, the TCEQ will email you a pre-filled usage report in February of each year. You are responsible for reviewing the data collected by the GPS monitoring service and certifying the data’s accuracy on the form. Electing to not submit this certification is considered the grantee’s confirmation that the GPS data is correct. If the data is not accurate, the grantee must immediately notify the TCEQ and the TGMS Contractor of the issues.
Prior to submitting, please sign and make any changes to the contact information on the Usage Report “Cover Form.” Complete “Form A” according to the instructions included with the forms and email to TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov or fax to 512-239-6161.
If submitting by mail, use one of the addresses below:
Regular Post Delivery
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Air Grants
Division
Compliance Section, MC-204
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087
Express Delivery
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Air Grants Division
Compliance Section,
MC-204
12100 Park 35 Circle
Building F, 1st Floor, Room 1301
Austin, TX 78753
If you did not receive a Usage Report from the TCEQ or have misplaced the form that was sent to you, please contact the monitoring team at 512-239-0578 or TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov to request one.
Usage reports are due the third week following the end of the reporting period.
You are required to prepare and submit a usage report every year unless otherwise specified in your contract. TERP will send you a partially completed reporting form with basic information for each activity. You will complete the portions of the report that show the total usage amount and the total usage within the eligible counties for each activity in your contract.
Occasionally, you may receive a call from TERP or TERP’s designated contractor requesting an on-site visit. The objective of a site visit is to verify information provided by the grantee through a physical inspection. The authorized TERP contractor or employee of the TCEQ or the State Auditor’s Office will perform this visit by inspecting and verifying equipment information (make, model, year, serial number, engine family code, etc.) and records information based on logs, meter/odometer readings, GPS tracking system, etc.
The contractor will collect this information and report back to TERP. Your cooperation in allowing access to all equipment under the grant agreement is appreciated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usage Reporting
You signed a contract with the TCEQ and agreed to monitor the use of your grant-funded equipment. You agreed to provide the TCEQ properly completed usage reports (monitoring reports) when required by the TCEQ.
Usually, once a year. Your reporting period ends on the last day of December (or at the end of the activity’s life). The TCEQ will send the usage reports to you in December (or June, if this is your last report). Complete and return the forms by their indicated deadline.
For reporting periods ending December 31, usage reports are usually due by the end of the third week in January; for reporting periods ending June 30, usage reports are usually due by the end of the third week in July.
You are required to send in usage reports for the duration of the activity life. If your activity life is seven years, then you will be required to submit a usage report at least every twelve months for seven years.
No proof of usage in the eligible areas means no performance. The TCEQ will ask for some or all of the grant funds to be returned. It is always best to first check with the monitoring team by calling 512-239-0578 or emailing TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov.
The TCEQ wants you to succeed. There may be other options available to you. The TCEQ will evaluate your contract after receiving each usage report. If you are not meeting your requirements, the TCEQ will contact you to discuss available options to help you meet your contract requirements. Some options are:
- You may ask to reduce your usage commitment and return a calculated portion of the grant.
- You may request to terminate the contract and return a pro rata amount of the grant.
- You may request to include other eligible county areas.
You must commit to using your equipment in the counties listed in your contract. Please contact the Monitoring Team at TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov or 512-239-0578 if you need to amend your contract to include other eligible areas.
If you are not able to work for a short period of time (a month or two) for whatever reason, you most likely do not need to worry about the impact on your grant. On your usage report, you must let the monitoring team know how long and why you did not work. If you are not able to perform your work for an extended period of time, contact the monitoring team to discuss options.
You must inform the monitoring team of anything that keeps you from meeting the requirements of your contract. If your equipment is repossessed, then you are not able to meet the terms of your contract. The TCEQ will ask for part or all of the grant funds to be returned.
You may not sell your grant-funded equipment if you are still under contract with the TCEQ and TERP; if you do, you will be required to return part or all of the grant amount.
After we receive your final usage report, we will review your usage data and send you an End of Performance Release of Claims letter.
As a condition of receiving a grant, you agreed to allow the TCEQ to verify the grant-funded equipment in person. Some of the ways the TCEQ verifies your grant activities are:
- a personal visit by a TCEQ representative
- a review of your supporting documents for your usage reporting
- an audit of your grant
You may receive a personal visit by the TCEQ at any time. A TCEQ representative will contact you to set up a mutually acceptable date and time. You may be visited several times during the life of your contract.
The TCEQ requires that you keep a record of your use of the grant-funded equipment. Records can be maintained in a notepad (bound, not loose) or in a daily planner type book that you can keep handy in the equipment. At the start of each operating day, record the odometer reading and the date. During the day, note any " out-of-area" mileage as well.
The auditors will contact you to set up a mutually acceptable date and time. They will also let you know what records you will need to have ready for their inspection. The auditors will treat you with professional courtesy and respect.
Common items are:
- a physical inspection of the grant-funded equipment
- disposition papers and photos
- supporting documentation of usage reporting
- insurance documents
- repair and inspection receipts
Contract Change Requests
Contact the TCEQ if you need to make any changes at 800-919-TERP (8377) or TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov.
You must contact the monitoring team before you sell your grant-funded equipment. If you plan to sell your equipment and withdraw from the program, the TCEQ will calculate the amount of money that may need to be returned to the TCEQ.
OR
Under certain circumstances, the TCEQ may allow you to sell your equipment to another person or business that is willing to take over performance of your grant requirements, with prior approval. Please contact the TCEQ at 800-919-TERP (8377) or TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov for more information.
In cases where the equipment is stolen, totaled, or inoperable, the TCEQ may allow the replacement of equipment. Otherwise, if the equipment is exchanged, then the TCEQ will ask for a portion of the grant amount to be returned.
Contact the monitoring team at 512-239-0578 or TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov.
Please contact the monitoring team at 512-239-0578 or TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov to provide an update to any changes to your contact information. Changes to your contact information can also be made by entering your new contact information into the appropriate blank usage report and sending that to us.
Need additional information or have questions? Please call us at 800-919-TERP (8377) or email TERP-Monitoring@tceq.texas.gov.