fy25-optional-project-narrative-template_508_FINAL.docx

Optional Project Narrative Template: Endnotes

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NOTES ON THE FY25 OPTIONAL PROJECT NARRATIVE TEMPLATE

· Note: This is an optional template available to FY25 applicants to assist in the drafting of their submitted project narrative, which is a mandatory attachment for all submitted proposals (see SN Appendix E). However, the use of this template is not required.

· Note: The project narrative should be a maximum of ten pages single-spaced; review panels score applications based on how well the evaluation criteria are met within these ten pages.

· Any part of the project narrative that extends past 10 pages will not be reviewed/considered during application scoring.

· Note: Blue text enclosed in brackets signifies sections of text that should be edited and/or expanded upon by the applicant; change this text color to black and remove brackets before submitting the project narrative.

For Example: “Table 4. Contractor/Individual Consultant/Vendor Key Contact(s) explicitly identifies that this project [will/will not] utilize [[contractor(s)] and/or [individual consultant(s)] and/or [vendor(s)]].” “Table 4. Contractor/Individual Consultant/Vendor Key Contact(s) explicitly identifies that this project will utilize a contractor.”

· Note: Applicants using this optional template should feel free to expand and edit the suggested text, as well as expanded bulleted lists and table row/sections as necessary for their proposed project.

· Note: Superscript numbers throughout this document link to endnotes (see document pages 8-10); to delete these, simply remove the associated superscript number (e.g., 1).

· Note: Delete this introductory page, all superscript, all endnotes, and all template notes (notes within this optional template) before submitting your project narrative. The final project narrative should only include the information listed on document pages 2-7.

THE OPTIONAL PROJECT NARRATIVE TEMPLATE BEGINS ON THE NEXT PAGE

Optional Project Narrative Template: Instructions/Notes

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FY 2025 Exchange Network Grant Program: Project Narrative [Month][Day], 2025

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FY 2025 Exchange Network Grant Program: Project Narrative [Month][Day], 2025

[Project Title] [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency]

1) Project Description The [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency]’s [program] submits this application in support of Exchange Network (EN) Funding Area[s] [‘1’, ‘2’, and/or ‘3’][endnoteRef:2] under the following EN project opportunities[endnoteRef:3] [insert EN specific project opportunity name(s) from SN Appendices A-C][endnoteRef:4]. [2: See SN Section 3A. Please note that EN Funding Area 3 is only open to U.S. Territories, federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages, and inter-tribal consortia of federally recognized tribes (e.g., the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission).

] [3: The phrase ‘EN project opportunities’ in this context refers to specific project write-ups as available in Appendices A-C of the Solicitation Notice that provide potential applicants with the information needed to design a proposal for a particular data exchange, data service, or project type (e.g., ‘WQX’ or ‘Individual Capacity Building’). Please note that the three capacity building EN Project Opportunities, as listed in SN Appendix C, are only open to U.S. Territories, federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages, and inter-tribal consortia of federally recognized tribes (e.g., the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission).

] [4: In the context of the EN Grant Program, this phrase indicates statements that define organizational requirement(s) that must be met in order to get an organization from where they currently are to where that organization would like to be. This could be improvements to or the implementation of programmatic workflows, improved management, and policy decisions, improved public data access and/or usability, the implementation of strategic business processes, improvements to process and staff efficiencies, etc. When applicants are asked to identify business and administrative needs, they are essentially being asked ‘what are some weaknesses, dependencies, or risks of the organization that will be partially or fully addressed through the proposed EN project’.

[Provide a brief description (2-3 sentences) of Department/Agency and the organization’s general scope of work]. [‘Department/Agency Name’ or ‘abbreviation’] is requesting $[requested funding] under the EN Grant Program to address the following business [and/or administrative] [endnoteRef:5] needs: [5: If an applicant is proposing a project which does not relate to a specific EN project opportunity, this should be clearly stated here. Be sure to still include which of the EN Funding Area(s) are supported by the proposed project.

· [Provided a bulleted list of general business and/or administrative needs (of the Department/Agency), which will be supported by the proposed project.]

This project supports the goals and objectives of the EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan[endnoteRef:6] and the achievement of associated environmental results, as described in Table 1. [6: See Solicitation Notice Section 3B ‘Environmental Results Supported by Assistance Activities’ or read full text at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.

Table 1. Supported EPA Strategic Goals and Objectives Strategic Goal[endnoteRef:7] [7: E.g., ‘Goal 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis’.

Strategic Objective[endnoteRef:8] [8: E.g., ‘Objective 1.1 Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change’.

Goal [#]:

[Enter Full Title] Objective [#]:

[Enter Full Title]

Goal [#]:

[Enter Full Title] Objective [#]:

[Enter Full Title]

2) Project Goals, Outputs, and Outcomes This project proposes [#] project goals to successfully accomplish the proposed work. These project goals and their cost, as well as associated outputs, output costs, and output schedule completion dates, are provided below in Table 2. A general rationale for how the listed output completion dates were selected and deemed appropriate is likewise provided. Additionally, Table 2 describes the following for each project goal: anticipated outcome(s), supported business and/or administrative needs, and the one EPA Strategic Plan goal and objective[endnoteRef:9] that is most supported by the listed project goal. [9: Applicants should only list one strategic goal and objective per project goal; if there are multiple options, applicants should choose the best fit. The same EPA strategic goal and objective may be listed for multiple project goals.

Table 2. Goals, Outputs, and Outcomes (Project Workplan)[endnoteRef:10] [10: Add or remove rows to Table 2. Goals, Outputs, and Outcomes as needed to include all project goals and outputs.

Goal 1: [Enter Descriptive Title]

Goal 1 Cost: $[Enter] $ [Enter]

1.1: [Enter Descriptive Title]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

$ [Enter]

1.2: [Enter Descriptive Title]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

Goal 2: [Enter Descriptive Title]

Goal 2 Cost: $[Enter] $ [Enter]

2.1: [Enter Descriptive Title]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

$ [Enter]

2.2: [Enter Descriptive Title]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

Goal 3: [Enter Descriptive Title]

Goal 3 Cost: $[Enter] $ [Enter]

3.1: [Enter Descriptive Title]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

$ [Enter]

3.2: [Enter Descriptive Title]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

[mm/dd/yyyy]

Total Direct Costs:[endnoteRef:11] [11: Must exactly match the sum total of all direct cost categories (personnel, fringe, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual, and ‘other’), as listed in the budget narrative and SF-424a budget form.

$ [Enter Total Direct Costs (Sum of A-C)]

Total Indirect Costs:[endnoteRef:12] [12: Must exactly match the total indirect costs as listed in the budget narrative and SF-424a budget form, if applicable to the proposed project.

$ [Enter Total Indirect Costs, if applicable to project]

Total Project Budget:[endnoteRef:13] [13: Must exactly match the total requested funds, as listed in all application attachments.

$ [Add Total Direct Costs & Indirect Costs]

3) Identifying Key Personnel and Associated Roles, Responsibilities, and Qualifications Table 3. Applicable Key Contacts below explicitly identifies which personnel roles are applicable to [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency]’s proposed project. This table provides the full name, current job title, current organization, anticipated project roles and responsibilities, and other mandatory role-specific details for each applicable role.

Table 3. Applicable Key Contacts[endnoteRef:14] [14: Include one key contact per applicable role type; write ‘N/A’ in the fields for any non-applicable project roles; if the role has not yet been hired:

Mark ‘Y’ for yes in the second column titled ‘applicable(?)’;

Write ‘Not Yet Hired’ in the third column titled ‘Name’;

Write ‘Not Yet Hired’ in the fourth column titled ‘Current Job Title’;

Write ‘Not Yet Hired’ in the fifth column titled ‘Organization’;

Fill out the ‘Project Role(s)/ Responsibilit(ies)’ row; and Add the following row in that role section below ‘Project Role(s)/Responsibilities’ and fill it out:

Personnel Role[endnoteRef:15] [15: The role of project manager is applicable to all projects; use this column to indicate whether the other listed roles are applicable to your project.

Formal Partner[endnoteRef:16] [16: The formal partner role only applies to applicants submitting a coalition application with an eligible EN partner, as described in SN Section 4C.

Formal Mentor[endnoteRef:17] [17: The mentor role only applies to applicants specifically applying under the ‘Individual Capacity Building with Mentorship’ EN project opportunity (see Solicitation Notice, Appendix C).

Table 4. Contractor/Individual Consultant/Vendor explicitly identifies that this project [will/will not] utilize [[contracting firm(s)] and/or [individual consultant(s)] and/or [vendor firm(s)]]. [Additionally, it provides the planned method of procurement, planned method of qualification vetting, and anticipated project roles and responsibilities for each entity.] [As the contractor procurement method is non-competitive, a detailed justification for why this is allowable per EPA’s strict guidelines is also provided, referencing the applicable rationale as defined under 2 CFR 200.320(c).]

Table 4. Contractor/Individual Consultant/Vendor[endnoteRef:18] [18: Mark ‘no’ in the ‘applicable’ column if contractors/individual consultants/vendors are not applicable and write N/A in all other fields; also expand the table as needed to include one key contact from each contract that is applicable to the proposed project.

If an applicant lists the method of procurement as ‘non-competitive’ or ‘sole source’, add and fill the following row:

4) Commitment to Reuse and Register Shared Tools and Services The [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency] is committed to reusing existing tools developed and available for Exchange Network partner use. Specifically, the program will reuse the following product[s] as detailed below in Table 5. Reused Components[endnoteRef:20]. [20: See Solicitation Notice, Appendix D ‘Identifying Items for Reuse - Exchange Network Partner Products’ for guidance on finding components for reuse. All applicants are expected to review available products/services/etc. to see if any existing technology is appropriate for reuse while planning their project and to address this within their project narrative.

Table 5. Reused Components[endnoteRef:21] [21: Include table only if applicable; if no products have been identified for reuse in this project, applicants should instead:

explicitly state this in this section; and explain in detail why available products/services/technology is not appropriate for reuse in the proposed project.

[Provide a brief description of the component and why it is appropriate for the proposed project].

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Exchange Network Grant Program[endnoteRef:23], the [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency] commits to register any new tools developed during the execution of this grant project, at the time of grant close-out. [23: See Solicitation Notice, Section: 8A. Administration and National Policy Requirements.

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Exchange Network Grant Program22, the [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency] likewise commits to register any reuse of existing EN tools during the execution of this grant project, at the time of grant close-out.

5) Technical Solutions and Data Availability In order to accomplish the goals and outputs as outlined in this project, [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency] will be utilizing the following [data [and/or] IT management [and/or] technological] solutions[endnoteRef:24]. [24: If specific solutions and/or technological aspects of the project are not yet known (e.g., if the applicant is utilizing a contractor who will implement the project’s technical solution(s)), the applicant should instead:

clearly state who will make the project’s technical decisions;

describe why they are the qualified/the appropriate party; and identify which business/admin. needs the selected technology or solutions will need to address.

· [‘Name of data, IT management, or technical solution’ or ‘descriptive title (if unnamed)’][endnoteRef:25] [25: Expand this list as needed to identify and describe each project solution/component, including the the three sub-bullets (‘necessity and appropriateness’, ‘meeting business/administrative needs’, and ‘ability to implement and maintain’) for each.

· Necessity and Appropriateness: This solution is a necessary and appropriate choice for the proposed project because [provide a detailed rationale, addressing this].

· Meeting Business/Administrative Needs: This solution helps [Department/Agency name or abbreviation] to address [list the business and/or administrative need(s) this solution helps to meet, as identified in the ‘Project Description’].

· Ability to Implement and Maintain: [Department/Agency name or abbreviation] is confident in its ability to implement and maintain this solution because [provide an explanation, referencing key personnel and/or partner qualifications or experience, project sustainability plans, training, etc., as applicable].

The [knowledge [and/or] data [and/or] technology] outputs developed during the proposed project will enhance data sharing and availability for immediate stakeholders[endnoteRef:26], including the [Department/Agency name or abbreviation] [and [name formal partner(s), if applicable]], by [provide a detailed explanation]. Additionally, this project will enhance data sharing and availability for organizations across the Exchange Network[endnoteRef:27] by [provide a detailed explanation]. [26: Immediate stakeholders include the applicant organization and any formal EN partnering organizations (if applicable).

] [27: This excludes immediate stakeholders (see above); applicants should address how the proposed project benefits organizations across the Exchange Network who are not directly involved in the project’s implementation.

6) Project Alignment with the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy (EEDS) The technical solution(s) as detailed in Section Five: Technical Understanding align with the three principles of the EEDS[endnoteRef:28]. [28: See Solicitation Notice, Appendix D ‘Alignment with the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy (EEDS)’ or view the full EEDS text here: https://e-enterprisefortheenvironment.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Final-E-Enterprise-Digital-Strategy-V-1.0.pdf

· 1st Principle: Build with an Information-Centric Approach:

· [Describe in detail how the project’s proposed technical solution(s) align with this principle].

· 2nd Principle: Adopt Shared Platforms:

· [Describe in detail how the project’s proposed technical solution(s) align with this principle].

· 3rd Principle: Adopt Customer-Centric Approaches:

· [Describe in detail how the project’s proposed technical solution(s) align with this principle].

7) Overview of Project Budget Costs for each project goal and their associated output were provided in Section Two: Project Goals, Outputs, and Outcomes. The appropriateness of these estimated project costs is detailed in Table 6. Project Output Budget Appropriateness, as well as in the ‘summary of project costs’ below.

Table 6. Project Output Budget Appropriateness[endnoteRef:29] [29: Add or remove sections to Table 6. Project Output Budget Appropriateness as needed to include all project outputs.

Summary of Project Costs

· The total budget for this project is $[dollar amount]. This project [does/does not include] in-kind support[endnoteRef:30]. [$[dollar amount] of funds are requested as direct grant funding and $[dollar amount] is requested as in-kind support]. [30: In-kind support refers to funds that will be used to provide in-kind services to the recipient through an EPA contract vehicle (aka, a portion or all awarded grant funds will be added to an EPA contract (to complete project goals and outputs), as opposed to being distributed to the grantee). These services are managed by EPA. Applicants should only request in-kind if they have verified contract availability with an EPA POC (see SN Section 1E); however, EPA ultimately reserves the right to decide whether in-kind services will be provided when requested. See SN Section 3D for more information.

Note: The term ‘in-kind’ is commonly confused with voluntary cost share (in which, the applicant commits to providing their own organizational funding in support of the project, in addition to awarded federal funds). Cost shares are not applicable to EN Grants and, therefore, nonfederal funds should not be included anywhere in proposed projects.

· This project [‘is’ or ‘is not’] submitting a coalition application with [an] eligible EN partnering organization[s]. [$[‘Dollar amount’] of the $[total budget, dollar amount] are funds for [‘the’ or ‘these’] project partner[s]].

· This project [‘does’ or ‘does not’] include a formal mentor[endnoteRef:31]. [$[‘Dollar amount’] of the $[total budget, dollar amount] are funds for the mentoring organization.]] [31: Only applicable to applicants applying specifically under the ‘Individual Capacity Building with Mentorship’ EN project opportunity (see Solicitation Notice, Appendix C).

· The proposed project budget includes $[‘dollar amount’ or ‘0’] in contractual costs [for a ‘contracting firm’ or ‘individual consultant’ or ‘vendor firm’, who will procured through [enter procurement method[endnoteRef:32]]]. [(If the procurement method is ‘non-competitive’) A rationale for the use of non-competitive procurement has been provided under Project Narrative Section 3, Table 4, and is allowable per 2 CFR 200.320(c).] [32: Procurement methods include ‘sealed bid’, ‘request for proposals (RFPs)’, or ‘non-competitive procurement’.

· This project [‘is’ or ‘is not’] charging $[‘dollar amount’ or ‘0’] in indirect costs [at a rate of [%]]. [The associated negotiated indirect cost rate agreement is active until [insert date: mm/dd/yyyy]].

· This project is requesting a total of $[‘dollar amount’ or ‘0’] in travel costs, [as detailed below in Table 7. Project Travel].

Table 7. Project Travel[endnoteRef:33] [33: Include table only if charging travel in the proposed project; add or remove rows to Table 7. Project Travel as needed to include all project trips.

[Enter #]

$[Enter amount]

$[Enter amount]

Total Travel Costs:

$[Enter amount]

8) Past Performance[endnoteRef:35] [35: Applicants should not list prior EN grants in this section; this information should instead be included in the separate attachment titled ‘Additional Attachment E: List of Prior Exchange Network Assistance Agreements’ (see SN Appendix E).

FY 2025 Exchange Network Grant Program: Project Narrative [Month][Day], 2025

[[State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency] has been awarded [‘#’] Exchange Network assistance agreements since 2002] or [State, Tribe, or Territory Name] [Name of Department or Agency] has never been awarded a prior Exchange Network assistance agreement].

Optional Project Narrative Template: Endnotes

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