This quick article describes how to configure the Application & Submission Information pages of EPIC. These pages determine what documents applicants can upload to EPIC for their Full Application (and if applicable, the documents they can upload for their Concept Paper and Reply to Reviewer Comments).

Roles

NOFOs

Prior to Publishing the NOFO

The Announcement Manager (aka NOFO Manager) is responsible for entering data into the Application & Submission Information pages of EPIC but may delegate to another team member if desired.

The Grants Management Specialist (GMS) [GFO]/ Contract Specialist (CS) [NETL] and Grants Officer (GO) are responsible for verifying the EPIC pages match the final, EE-1 approved NOFO exactly.

Lab Calls

Prior to Publishing

The Lab Call Announcement Manager is responsible for verifying the EPIC pages match the final, EE-1 approved Lab Call exactly. The Lab Call Announcement Manager may delegate this task to another team member if desired.

Open Your Announcement

• Hover over the Announcement menu and select Announcement Management.
• Click the Title of your Announcement to open it.
• Click the Announcement Development tab.

Submission & Application Information Page(s)

NOTE: It is important to configure these pages correctly because:

• EPIC will require these documents from applicants on the Submissions side.
• This configuration determines what applicants can and can’t upload as part of their application.

The Submission & Application Information page is located on the Announcement Development tab. It has up to four subpages: there will always be a Full Application subpage, but Letter of Intent, Concept Paper, and Reply to Reviewer Comments pages only appear if selected on the Submission Details page.

Letter of Intent (if applicable)

• Click the Announcement Development tab.
• On the left-hand navigation, scroll down to Submission & Application Information and select the Letter of Intent page.
• Confirm the selection for mandatory vs. optional matches the NOFO exactly.
• If Optional is selected, confirm the Content and Form selections match the NOFO exactly.

Concept Paper Document Requirements (If applicable)

• Click the Announcement Development tab.
• On the left-hand navigation, scroll down to Submission & Application Information and select the Concept Paper page.
• Use the template upload icon to upload the template you want applicants to use. If a specific template isn’t required for your NOFO, skip the upload.
• Ensure these fields match the NOFO exactly:
  • Section Title
  • Allowed File Types
  • Page Limits
• If you need to remove a section, click the three dots and select Remove Section.
• If the announcement will allow applicants to submit optional files to supplement the Concept Paper:
  • Set the slider to Yes.
  • Select the File Type(s).

Full Application Document Requirements

Standard Documents

• Click the Announcement Development tab.
• On the left-hand navigation, scroll down to Submission & Application Information and select the Full Application page. The grid on the lower half of this page is where you will manage most of the document requirements for the Full Application phase of your NOFO. Exception: DMP, US Manufacturing Plan, and IPMP requirements are added and removed by answering the relevant questions above the section list.
• EPIC calls each document type a “section”. Ensure that there is a “section” for each document listed in your NOFO.
• Ensure these fields match the NOFO exactly:
  • Section Type
  • Section Title
  • Allowed File Types
  • Page Limits
• Templates: For all sections with a template upload icon (e.g., Summary Slide), upload the template you want applicants to use. If a specific template isn’t required for your NOFO, skip the upload.

NOTE 1: You do NOT need to upload templates for the SOPO, Budget Justification, SF-LLL, and SF-424. These are pre-loaded into EPIC when the announcement is published. You may upload an announcement-specific template for any section which will override the existing static templates for these four sections (SOPO, Budget Justification, SF-LLL, and SF-424).

NOTE 2: The full application requirements are not editable. If you publish the NOFO without the required templates, it will require an NOFO modification in EPIC to add templates.

Add Announcement-Specific Documents (if applicable)

• Click the plus sign next to “Sections” at the top of the document table.
• Select “Other”.
• Name the section and click Save. Once you save the page, an upload template icon will appear. If there is a specific template you want applicants to use for the NOFO-specific requirement, upload it here.

Delete Documents Not Applicable to Your Announcement

• If you don’t want applicants to submit a certain document, delete it from this page. To do so:
  • Click on the three vertical dots for the section you want to delete.
  • Select “Remove Section” then click save. Note: The SF-424 cannot be removed.
  • Exception: Remove DMP, US Manufacturing Plan, and IPMP requirements by answering the relevant questions above the grid.

Optional Files

• If the announcement will allow applicants to submit optional files:
  • Set the slider to Yes.
  • Select the File Type(s).

Topic Areas

• If document requirements vary by topic area:
  • Locate the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
  • Select the next topic area.
  • Repeat steps 3-14 for each topic area.
• If all topic areas will have the same application document requirements:
  • Locate the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
  • Click the copy icon.
  • Select Copy to All.

Reply to Reviewer Comments

The Reply to Reviewer Comments subpage allows you to configure the following:

• Ensure these fields match the NOFO exactly:
  • Section Title
  • Allowed File Types
  • Page Limits
  • Template (For all sections with a template upload icon, upload the template you want applicants to use. If a specific template isn’t required for your NOFO, skip the upload.)
  • Optional documents

NOTE: The data related to Reply to Reviewer Comment phase that transfers to Exchange (for Merit Review Comments) is located on the Submission Details page, specifically:

• Whether a Reply to Reviewer Comments phase is applicable to the announcement.
• Start Date (Date for Release of Independent Reviewer Comments).
• End Date (Submission Deadline for Reply to Reviewer Comments).

How Do I Contact the EPIC Helpdesk?

Email: eere-epichelpdesk@ee.doe.gov

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 9AM-6PM ET