In our efforts to ensure the quality and consistency of study data, we will conduct visits to approximately 10% of the sites participating in the 2010 Fuels Study. These on-site validation visits are typically scheduled during the study cycle pattern from late 2011 to mid 2012, at no charge to participants. Candidates for these audits are selected to cover a wide range of size, performance, and ownership among participants or when we note unusually sharp changes in results. We notify clients ahead of time that we would like to visit and discuss schedule options in advance to ensure that the time on-site is well spent and mutually beneficial.

All participants benefit from the quality control of the study, so participation in our study implies a willingness to participate in these validations. Sometimes companies request that we perform on-site validation at specific refineries in their organization. We will endeavor to meet client requests but if these refineries do not fit our criteria for validation this study year, we can usually accommodate your request at an additional cost as is listed in the Subscription Agreement.

Due to the important nature of validation in our data process, refineries that decline requests for validation more than once may not receive ranking data on the subsequent study, and the company may forfeit access to some of the study results—such as quartile peer groups and other results—that provide specific competitive positioning.