How to Manage Applicant Submissions, Eligibility, and Sync to Exchange

This article describes how to manage all applicant submission types (NOFOs/NOTAs/Lab Calls), make eligibility selections in EPIC, and sync/publish that information to Exchange for reviewers to access.

Roles

The following people can view, filter, and download submissions from the Manage Applicant Submissions page in EPIC:

The technology office team is responsible for downloading submissions from this page for the eligibility reviews. However, the Grants Officer and GMS/CS might utilize the page to look up applicant contact information to send Pre-Selection Clarifications (if applicable).

Step 1: Managing Submissions

1. From the EPIC dashboard, navigate to the Announcement menu and select Announcement Management.
2. Open the announcement via the announcement title or Action menu, Open Announcement.
3. Ensure you are on the Submission tab of the announcement.
4. Select Manage Applicant Submissions in the left navigation wizard.
5. You can filter the applicant submissions by topic area (if applicable) by selecting the Topic Area drop-down.
6. To filter the submission type that you want to manage the applicant submissions for, select the Submission Type drop-down.
7. You can also view applicant submissions by Submission Status by selecting the drop-down.
8. You can view and manage the applicant submissions by searching for a Control #, Applicant, Submission Deadline, Date Submitted or filtering by Eligibility Determination, Eligibility Publication Status, Exchange Status and Merit Review Decision via the drop-down menus in the top row.

Step 2: Download Submitted Letters of Intent, Concept Papers, or Full Applications

To perform an eligibility review of the submitted applications and their associated documents, use the Download Submission functionality in EPIC.

• To download one control number at a time: Select the three vertical dots in the Action column in-line with the applicable submission and click Download Submission. You can download the whole application by selecting Download All or hover over Other Documents and select specific documents associated with the application. If you select Download All, the system creates a zip file of all documents included in the application.
• To download multiple submissions: Select the checkboxes next to the applications (or select all by checking the box in the top row), click on the three vertical dots in the Action column and select Download Selected Submissions. A zip file will be downloaded containing subfolders with the control number as the folder name.

View Non-Submitted Letters of Intent, Concept Papers, or Full Applications

If you wish to view an in-progress application that has not yet been submitted, you can click the three vertical dots in the Action column and click View Submission. This will take you to the in-progress application in EPIC. You can also access it by clicking on the control number.

Step 3: Managing Eligibility

Download Application Data and Populate Eligibility Review Templates

You can use the eligibility review templates to help you determine whether applicant submissions are eligible or ineligible. To populate the eligibility review templates with application data, such as Control Number, Applicant Name, Project Title, etc.:

1. Download the Submission by Announcement report from EPIC by clicking the Announcement Reports button.
2. Download the applicable eligibility review template from the Knowledge Hub.
3. Copy the data from the Submission by Announcement report and paste it into the applicable eligibility review template.
4. Review each application, populate your findings in the eligibility review template, and review your eligibility recommendations with the Contracting Officer and Legal Counsel.

Obtain Approval for Eligibility Determinations

The Grants Officer and Legal Counsel must approve the final eligibility determinations (see the FOA Evaluation and Selection SOP for details). This takes place outside of EPIC.

Mark as Eligible or Ineligible

Upon receiving GO and Legal approval outside of EPIC, the Technology Office marks the submission(s) as Eligible or Ineligible in EPIC.

• Filter the submissions status as Submitted.
• To mark one control number as eligible/ineligible at a time: Select the three action dots in-line with the applicable submission and choose either Mark as Eligible or Mark as Ineligible, according to what the GO and Legal approved for each application.
  • Note: if you click on the three action dots of a Not Submitted application, you will not be able to Mark as Eligible or Ineligible.
• To mark multiple submissions as eligible/ineligible: Select the checkboxes next to the applications (or select all by checking the box in the top row), select the three vertical dots in the top Action row and click Mark Selected Pending as Eligible.
  • Note: when conducting mass actions, the chosen action will only work on applications that the task is applicable to. For example: Selecting all and then mark all as eligible will only work on the applications with a submission status of submitted. Not submitted applications will be unaffected.

Step 4: Publish and Sync to Exchange

If any applications were ineligible, the GO will send a Non-Eligibility Notification Letter to those applicants. Please ensure you wait to Publish and Sync to Exchange until after the GO sends those letters. This is because applicants will be able to view their status (Eligible vs. Ineligible) in EPIC.

• To publish one control number at a time: Once the submission(s) is marked as Eligible, and you want to publish to Exchange, click on the three vertical dots in the Action column and select Publish and Sync to Exchange. The sync between EPIC and Exchange occurs at the top of every hour.
• To publish multiple submissions: Select the checkboxes next to the applications (or select all by checking the box in the top row), select the three vertical dots in the top Action row and click Publish Selected Submissions to Exchange.
  • Note: when conducting mass actions, the chosen action will only work on applications that the task is applicable to. For example: Selecting all and then mark all as eligible will only work on the applications with a submission status of submitted. Not submitted applications will be unaffected.