IES identifies, engages, and convenes all appropriate stakeholders in the project process up front.

IES forms three committees:

• Steering committee - The Board of Directors for the project which guides the project and establishes goals, objectives, and project design.
• Peer review committee - Scientific experts review technical documents and publications.
• Stakeholder advisory committee - IES convenes stakeholders in workshops to disseminate information and to collect input, concerns and recommendations.

IES conducts research to obtain a broad base of technical and economic information about the possible solutions. We work with the project committees to define the scope and finalize goals.

Sound initial planning is essential to program success. A project plan is prepared that includes the scope of a pilot project, timetable, cost estimate, and partners.

With peer review and stakeholder input, IES oversees and implements the project plan. Study results are presented in a summary report that includes quantitative and qualitative results to develop our conclusions. Recommendations outlining a full-scale implementation plan are included. Project completion includes preparing communication materials for information transfer and education. Analysis of project results will include measurements to evaluate the success of the project.

IES helps our partners and stakeholders reach their environmental improvement goals through education and outreach, including IES and stakeholder publications and websites, workshops, tutorials, local news, academic and popular press, and public outreach campaigns.