Fiscal Year 2015 National Environmental Information Exchange Network/e-enterprise Grant Program Stakeholder Draft Solicitation Notice U.


United States

Environmental Protection Agency

Fiscal Year 2015 National
Environmental Information
Exchange Network/E-Enterprise
Grant Program

STAKEHOLDER DRAFT
Solicitation Notice

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Information
Office of Information Collection
Information Exchange and Services Division
Information Exchange Partnership Branch

July 22, 2014

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Fiscal Year 2015 National Environmental
Information Exchange Network/E-Enterprise
Grant Program Solicitation Notice

Table of Contents

I.	Funding Opportunity Description	4

I-A. Background	5

I-B. Grant Program Funding History and Results	6

I-C. Assistance Activities	7

I-D. Environmental Results Supported by Assistance Activities	7

I-E. Program Priorities	11

I-E.l. Exchange Network Priorities	11

I.E.2. E-Enterprise Priorities	15

I-F.	Partnership Agreements	19

II.	Award Information	19

II-A.	General Information	19

II-B. Types of Assistance	20

II-C.	Funding Restrictions	21

III.	Eligibility Information	21

III-A.	Eligible Applicants	21

III-B. Threshold Criteria for Funding Goals	22

III-C. Eligibility Criteria for Partnership Applications	24

III-D.	Cost Sharing or Matching	25

IV.	Application and Submission Information	25

IV-A.	Submission Date and Time	25

IV-B. Intergovernmental Review	25

IV-C. Partnership Agreements	25

IV-D. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated Into the Solicitation	26

V.	Application Review Information	26

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V-A.l Exchange Network Evaluation Criteria	26

V-A.2 E- Enterprise Evaluation Criteria	30

V-B. Review and Selection Process	33

V-C.	Anticipated Award Dates	34

VI.	Award Administration Information	34

VI-A.	Award Notices	34

VI-B. Administration and National Policy Requirements	34

VI-C. Reporting	35

VI-D. Dispute Resolution Provision	35

VI-E. Unliquidated Obligations	35

VI-F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated Into I lie Solicitation	35

VII.	Agency Contacts	37

Appendices

Appendix A: Suggested Exchange Network Data Exchange Activities	A-l

Appendix B: Cloud Transition Grants for EN partners 	B-l

Appendix C: Shared CKOMEUK Services	C-l

Appendix I): Detailed Instructions for Submitting Applications	D-l

Appendix E: Sample Project Goals, Outputs and Outcomes	E-l

Appendix I': Contracts and Suhawards	F-l

Appendix G: Checklist of Documents to Submit	G-l

Appendix H: Quality Assurance Reporting Form	H-l

Appendix I: Reusability: RCS and ENDS	1-1

Appendix J: How to Register in RCS	J-l

Appendix K: Definitions 	K-l

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FY 2015 National Environmental Information
Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation

Notice

Overview Information

Agency Name and Office: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of

Environmental Information (OEI)

Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2015 National Environmental Information Exchange

Network Grant Program

Announcement Type: Availability of Funding Solicitation

Notice Funding Opportunity Number: !¦ PA-OEI-14-01

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.608

Dates: November 7, 2014 - Deadline for submitting applications to EPA

July 31, 2015 - Fxpected Award of FY 2015 Exchange Network Grants

I. Funding Opportunity Description

In Fiscal Year 2015, the National Environmental Information Exchange Network
(Exchange Network, Network or EN) Grant Program is becoming the Exchange
Network/E-Enlerprise for the Ijivironment (E-Enterprise or EE) grant program. E-
Enterprise is an initiative to improve environmental outcomes and dramatically enhance
service to the regulated community and the public by maximizing the use of advanced
monitoring and information technologies, optimizing operations, and increasing
transparency. Begun as joint U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)/State effort, the
EE leadership is reaching out to Indian Tribes to integrate them into this initiative.

Because the Exchange Network and E-Enterprise are closely connected and the same
entities are eligible to apply for grants under each program, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (FPA) decided that it was appropriate to address both opportunities in
this Solicitation Notice. Eligible applicants (page 21) may apply for both opportunities by
submitting separate proposals. The Agency will evaluate, score and rank EE proposals
separately from EN proposals. The Exchange Network is a partnership that supports better
decision-making through improved access to environmental information. EPA and
agencies from states, tribes, and territories are collaboratively building the Network to
improve the nation's ability to understand, protect, and preserve human health and the
environment.

Exchange Network partners use Web services and standard data formats to electronically
report, share, and integrate both regulatory and non-regulatory environmental

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information. Web services and machine-readable data formats allow for automated
machine-to-machine communication over the Internet. EN partners can use those services
to automate reporting requirements; integrate data sets for analysis, power mobile and
desktop applications; support more efficient business processes; and be consistent with
EPA's Open data policy1. More information about the Exchange Network is available at
www.exchangenetwork.net.

The Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant Program provides funding to states, tribes,
inter-tribal consortia and territories to develop and implement Web services, Web
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and associated tools and applications
that support efficient, open, and timely access to environmental data. Grantees will be
required to register their work products in EPA's Reusable Component Services (RCS)
database to promote discovery and reuse by other I-1N partners.

The focus of EE is on improving environ men la I outcomes. IM-nterprise is an initiative to
fully integrate and streamline improving the way government protects the environment.
Ideal E-Enterprise projects are those that improve efficiency and modernize programs,
reach across organizational boundaries, and are consistent with the vision and principles
outlined in the E-Enterprise Conceptual Blueprint".

I-A. Background

Exchange Network: I'PA and its state, tribal, and territorial partners continue to invest
collaboratively to expand the Exchange Network. Guided by the Exchange Network's Phase
2 implementation plan, approved by the Exchange Network Leadership Council on January
21, 2014, EPA and its partners will build upon the success ol'llie Network's Phase 1 to enable
timely, on-demand access to environmental data through innovative technologies, improved
support systems, and expanded collaboration. In Phase 2, the Network community actively
works to:

•	build Web-based services and APIs that deliver environmental data in standard
machine-readable formats

•	develop mobile, desktop, or Web applications that consume data via Web services
and APIs and present information to users for analysis and access

•	expand the use of the Network for data reporting to EPA data systems

•	expand inter- and inlra-partner data sharing including programs where EPA does
not have a central data store (e.g. institutional controls for cleanup sites)

•	expand the use of the Network for meeting goals related to transparency and open
data; and

•	develop new technologies that make data sharing easier and less costly.

To date, Exchange Network partners have almost exclusively used Exchange Network Node

1	http://www.epa.gov/digitalstrategy/pdf/EPA QpenDataPolicv ImplementationPlan 2013Nov26.pdf

2	Available online at: www.exchangenetwork.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/EEnterpriseConceptualBlueprint-
013114-FINAL.pdf

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or Node Client software to submit or publish data via Web services (see
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/exchange-network-products/I Nodes and Node Clients
will continue to be important tools for EN partners into the future, particularly for
supporting secure reporting to EPA data systems. However, with Phase 2's emphasis on
data access and availability, the Exchange Network Leadership Council (ENLC) and the
Network Technology Board (NTB) are actively embracing additional approaches to Web
service development that complement the traditional Node-based services.

RESTful Web services and APIs may offer partners a simpler and more flexible alternative
for meeting certain business needs, such as lightweight data publishing and mobile
application development. The NTB has developed guidance and standards for partners
that wish to build RESTful Web services and APIs. Applicants should review that guidance
for an explanation of REST and the options available for building EN-compliant REST
services. The document is available at http://www.exchangenetwork.net/rest-guidance/

In their project descriptions, applicants should propose a design approach (with or
without a Node) that best meets their business needs and is consistent with Exchange
Network guidance and standards. Applicants should also make data available in
extensible Markup Language (XML). As business needs dictate, applicants are also
encouraged to offer data in additional machine-readable formats such as JSON and CSV.

E-Enterprise: E-Enterprise grew out of a recognition by environmental regulatory
agencies that they needed to streamline the way they do business. As EPA began to
develop its policy of converting paper reporting to I--Reporting, the Agency realized that
the process has to include its co-implementers as well as a thorough update of both
business processes and the use of technology, an effort that many of EPA's state partners
have already begun. EPA, and states acting through the Environmental Council of States
(ECOS), agreed that it made sense to pursue this process together. In September 2013,
ECOS and LPA signed a charier to create the L-l jiterprise Leadership Council (EELC). As
of 2014, the tribes have joined this partnership.

With the limited funding available this year for E-Enterprise grants, EPA will focus on just
a fewpriorilies (described in section I.E.2 on pagel5), including business process analysis
and reengineering and business architecture development. EPA will only accept E-
Enterprise project proposals from partnerships to maximize the value of this work.

The statutory authority for the Fiscal Year 2015 Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant
Program will be the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) heading in EPA's Fiscal Year
2015 appropriation. The FY 2015 President's Budget requests $9,964,000 for the
National Environmental Information Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant Program.
Funding of grant applications under this Solicitation Notice is subject to the availability
of program funds in the FY 2015 annual appropriation for EPA. EPA is making $1.4
million of previously unused STAG funds available for E-Enterprise grants.

I-B. Grant Program Funding History and Results

FY 2015 is the fourteenth year EPA will be awarding Exchange Network grants.
From FY 2002 through FY 2014, EPA has provided approximately $190 million for

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state, tribal and territorial awards and associated program support through the grant
program. As of May 2014, all 50 states, 94 tribes and 5 territories have received
Exchange Network grants. For descriptions of previously awarded Exchange
Network grants, please see http://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/grants/index.html.
For information on the progress of the data exchanges, see
http://www.exchangenetwork.net. This year, for the first time, EPA is making grant
funding available for E-Enterprise related projects.

I-C. Assistance Activities

This Solicitation Notice requests that states, tribes, inter-tribal consortia, and territories
develop and submit applications that support the Exchange Network or E-Enterprise
priorities in Section I-E. For Exchange Network proposals, applications mustcommitto
and clearly describe the development and implementation of EN tools and services
reusable by other partners or the development and implementation of technologies and
services directly related to Exchange Network activities. Examples of EN activities are
in Section I-E and in Appendix A. Applicants may propose projects that include activities
other than those listed as examples, provided lliev are consistent with the EN priorities
and conform to Exchange Network technologies, services and specifications. For E-
Enterprise proposals, applications must explain, how the project can be replicated by
other states and tribes and how the grant funded work will benefit the overall E-
Enterprise initiative.

EPA will determine the eligibility of each applicant (see Section III-A). EPA will then
evaluate applications from eligible applicants based on the evaluation criteria in Section V-
A. Applicants are responsible for reading and complying with the instructions and criteria
found in this Notice.

I-D. Environmental Results Supported by Assistance Activities

EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. Timely access to
information supports strong environmental decision-making and improves the
ability of EPA, with its state and tribal partners, to carry out that mission. The
Exchange Network helps states, territories, tribes, and EPA share environmental
information more efficiently and effectively over the Internet. Phase 2 of the
Exchange Network will make data critical for decisions more readily available.
Efficient sharing of and increased access to high-quality data among EN partners
strengthens their ability to make sound environmental decisions including improved
priority setting and resource targeting. E-Enterprise will support EPA's mission by
streamlining and reducing the burden of business operations, fully integrating
Exchange Network technology and services into business operations and increasing
the use of advanced monitoring technologies to improve environmental outcomes
and increase building on the achievements of the Exchange Network. E-Enterprise is
an initiative to improve environmental outcomes and increase transparency.

Applications under this Solicitation must clearly demonstrate support of the EPA

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2014-2018 Strategic Plan, Cross-Agency Strategies, Objective of "Launching a New Era of
State, Tribal, Local, and International Partnerships". (EPA's 2014-2018 Strategic Plan can
be found at: fhttp://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/fv-2014-2018-strategic-plan ). It is
EPA policy to directly link work supported by assistance agreements to the Agency's
mission and Strategic Plan. Grant applications, assistance agreements, and work plans
must all have outcomes that lead to or are instrumental in achieving environmental
results supporting the Agency's mission and Strategic Plan goals.

Goals, Outputs, Outcomes and Environmental Results

EPA recognizes that Exchange Network and E-Enterprise projects do not directly produce
environmental results and will therefore evaluate applications based on the major
technical and non-technical outputs and outcomes of the proposed work. Each proposed
goal should have at least one outcome the applicant expects will lead to or be
instrumental in achieving an environmental result.

Examples of Project Outputs:

y development of schema

y development of Web services and application programming interfaces (APIs] that enable

data publishing
y issuance of Requests for Proposals (RFPs]

Examples of Project Outcomes:

y improving the timeliness and accuracy of environmental data
y reducing burden and costs associated with data management and reporting
y increasing access to environmental data

y supporting better decision-making by building data access for environmental

professionals and the public
y facilitating place-based decision-making through the inclusion of quality
locational data which transcend jurisdictional boundaries

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Figure 1-1 below presents an example workplan for an Exchange Network project
showing the relationship of goals, outcomes and outputs leading to environmental
results.

Figure 1-1

Goal 1 - Electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI)
and eForms

Goal 1 Outcome(s)

1.	Increased availability of timely, high quality data
to other Exchange Network Partners will improve
environmental decision-making.

2.	1 ncreases efficiency needed to review and process
notice of intent applications, allowing program
implementation resources to be spent on other
environmental needs.

Output

Scheduled Date

1.1 Design and develop MicrosoftNet Web forms/
pages for each NOI.

lanuary 2016

1.2 Design and develop eForms to TEMPO
automated data migrations.

February 2016

1.3 TEMPO administrative review and technical
review automation and quality verification
routines.

March 2016

1.4 Create and Implement (IIS activ e (.lata layers.

December 2016

1.5 Create and implement ICIS-NI'DKS XMI, (.lata
flows, flow data using State Node to Kxchange
Network Node.

December 2016

•	Each goal should result in a major deliverable, such as a sustained dataflow.

•	Applications should list and schedule major outputs that lead to achieving a goal.

•	Each goal should have at least one outcome that leads to environmental results.

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Figure 1-2 below presents an example workplan for an E-Enterprise project
showing the relationship of goals, outcomes and outputs leading to results that
streamline a source environmental policy or the services for implementing that
policy.

Figure 1-2

Goal 1 - Federated Identity for Regulatory
Reports in State X and Tribe Y

Goal 1 Outcome(s)

1.	1 nlcgrale with a federated bridging solution that
will allow a business to reuse a single set of
credentials (e.g. user ID and password) for
environ mental sector services across multiple
levels ofgovernment

2.	Integrate the bridging solution in zz reports for
affected regulated entities in State X and Tribe Y.
It is estimated that 25,00(1 regulated entities
submitting this report must also directly report to
other l-l'A regulatory reporting systems. This will
reduce Ini rden for identification and
authentication across federal and state

gov ernments by 1,250 hours annually.

Output

Scheduled Date

1.1 Analysis and redesign of/./, reporting system
to accept protocols and standards for TFS.

January 2016

1.2 Communications plan for existing and new
users describing new process lor identity
management.

March 2016

1.3 User acceptance testing in test environment.

June 2016

1.4 Transition of user accounts and move new
identity system to production.

August 2016

1.5 Use-case documentation and lessons learned
for distribution to other E-Enterprise
stakeholders.

October 2016

•	Each goal should result in a major deliverable, such as a streamline service or new
shared service.

•	Applications should list and schedule major outputs that lead to achieving a goal.

•	Each goal should have at least one outcome that leads to results that streamline a
source environmental policy or the services for implementing that policy.

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I-E. Program Priorities

EPA expects Exchange Network assistance agreement supported projects will improve the
exchange of and access to high-quality environmental data from public and private sector
sources.

I-E.l. Exchange Network Priorities

In FY 2015, the Exchange Network community will Ix- fully engaged in Phase 2 development
efforts. For prospective applicants not familiar with the current focus of the Exchange
Network, Phase 2 emphasizes making data available through Web services and application
programming interfaces (APIs), inter-partner data sharing and reporting to new national
priority systems. This is in contrast to the first phase of the Network, which focused more on
grantees reporting regulatory data to EPA as mentioned in the Phase 2 Implementation
Plan3.

EPA will place a high priority on activities that advance Phase 2 goals. These include:
development of Web services and APIs that deliver automated access to environmental data;
reusable tools and applications that support data access and analysis and are built to
consume Web services and APIs; new regulatory reporting data flows; use of Virtual Node
services; and use of Cross Media Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR) compliant
shared services. EPA recognizes that partners continue to implement automated reporting
to the 10 EPA National Priority data systems that were the focus of Phase 1. EPA will support
states, federally recognized tribes and territories in completing these priority flows through
Exchange Network grant funding.

EPA is categorizing Exchange Network grant priorities into two tiers. In general, Tier 1
focuses on Phase 2 activities (development of Web services/APIs and access tools and
applications, implementation of new priority flows, integration of virtual node services into
a partner's information technology infrastructure, implementation of new national data
exchanges). Tier 2 focuses on Phase 1 priorities including the implementation of the original
10 priority data exchanges.

As described in Section V-A (evaluation criteria), applications that include at least one Tier
1 goal are eligible to receive 30 points. Applications that include at least one Tier 2 goal but
no Tier 1 goal are eligible to receive 20 points.

No Exchange Network grant funds will be available to state, federally recognized tribes,
intertribal consortia and territorial partners for node development projects. EPA is making
available, and encourages all applicants to use, the Agency's new virtual node. Furthermore,

3 Available online at http://www.exchangenetwork.net/wp-
content/uploads/2011/07/Phase 2 Implementation Plan.pdf

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operations and maintenance of flows is not an eligible activity for funding.

Tier 1 Exchange Network Activities:

> Development of Web Services/APIs and Tools that Promote Data Access and
Support Better Environmental and Public Health Decisions. Applications will include
projects that improve access to environmental information for environmental program
staff, managers, the public and other stakeholders. Projects will include goals that lead to
the creation of Web services and APIs that make data available in XML and other standard
machine-readable formats (e.g. JSON, CSV). Applicants should consider opportunities to
share data across programs within their organization; across agencies within a state or
tribe; or with EPA. Applicants should also consider opportunities to build Web services
and tools that support EPA's open data and transparency goals and serve interested non-
governmental organizations, research institutions, and the public.

Example activities include:

• Creating Web services and APIs that make data available in XML and other
machine-readable formats.

• Creating Web services and APIs that support cross-program data integration
and support more efficient environmental business processes such as permit
writing or compliance inspections or cross-jurisdictional data comparisons
analyses or integration.

• Creating tools that consume Web services and APIs to support access and
analysis of environmental information. Examples of such tools include:

¦ Desktop, laptop, mobile, and Web applications that allow users to
display, analyze, or collect environmental information.

¦ Web sites that allow users to access environmental data sets that are
available through Exchange Network Web services or APIs.

¦ Dashboards for program managers, EPA and other Agency executives.

Example datasets may include institutional controls at contamination sites, data on
cleanup sites, data sets of national significance to tribes (such as open dumps),
Underground Storage Tank data, and data that support environmental management of
multi-state or regional airsheds, watersheds, and water bodies of priority concern (such
as the Great Lakes or Chesapeake Bay). See appendix A for more detail on specific project
opportunities.

Grantees must use either existing EN-based services, APIs, and schemas or new EN-based
services, APIs, and schemas that conform to Exchange Network standards and design
rules. This includes REST-based APIs that conform to the Network's REST guidance and
standards. Information on the Network's technical standards and design guidance are
available in the Knowledge Base of the Exchange Network website
(http://www.exchangenetwork.net/knowledge-base). Grantees must register grant-
funded data flows and Web services in the Exchange Network Discovery Service (ENDS).
Grantees must register grant-funded tools, applications, schemas, and other reusable
resources in the EPA Reusable Components Service (RCS).

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Specific Tier 1 activities include:

>	New EPA Reporting Data Flows. Applications will include goals to implement data
flows that enable Exchange Network reporting to and from EPA data systems.

Applicants must commit to register these data flows in ENDS. The new flows include:

•	Integrated Compliance Information System - Air (ICIS-Air), which will
replace the Air Facility System or AFS;

•	Safe Drinking Water Information System (SWDIS) Prime;

•	Electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI) flow to Integrated Compliance Information
System - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (ICIS-NPDES);

•	eManifest

•	Radon and

•	ATTAINS

>	Virtual Node Implementation Support for States, Tribes, and Territories.

Applicants should commit to the transition from locally installed nodes to the EPA-
hosted Virtual Node, creation of data publishing services and new data flows on the
Virtual Node and support Virtual Node-related security analyses and plans. Applicants
must commit to register all virtual nodes in ENDS. Appendix C provides a detailed
description of the Virtual Node and suggested implementation activities.

>	Shared CROMERR Services and Components. Applicants will commit to the design of
systems to use one or more EPA Web services that provide CROMERR compliant
functionality, such as electronic signature, to reduce or eliminate redundant
developmentby partners and streamline Technical Review Committee (TRC) application
reviews. Applicants must commit to register these tools in RCS. Appendix D provides a
detailed description ol'the I'PA CKOMI'KK services.

Examples of specific potential projects related to these broad topics include:

>	ICIS-Air Collaborative Opportunity: A partnership application that includes joint state,
local government or a regional or national Clean Air Act association to create a tool that
facilitates the exchange of CAA stationary source compliance and enforcement data
between and among state agencies, air pollution control districts or local agencies and
EPA. The focus of 111 is opportunity is to enable states and locals to develop and implement
a common tool to easily exchange data using the EN with the modernized Air Facility
System (AFS), ICIS-Air. EPA plans to deploy ICIS-Air in 2015. Applications should
clearly identify all partners and their roles and responsibilities. The lead applicant
must be an eligible entity (Section III-C). Projects eligible for the partnership level
funding must include two or more states. Partnerships eligible for this opportunity
may have state or local agencies from two or more states or by having a Clean Air
Act association with members that come from two or more states in the
partnership.

>	eReporting Collaborative Opportunity: A partnership proposal that builds an
eReporting system integrating one or more EPA Web services that provide CROMERR
compliant functionality such as electronic signature. In order for this proposal to be

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eligible for funding, applicants must commit to flowing the reported data to EPA using
the Exchange Network, which will provide a complete end-to-end electronic reporting
solution for environmental data. An example of an e-reporting grant proposal would be
Clean Air Act Title V reporting (such as annual compliance certifications).

>	Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Collaborative Opportunity: A partnership to
develop an exchange of water quality sensor data. Continuous water quality monitoring
(monitoring performed with a sensor that measures a particular parameter or suite of
parameters automatically at set intervals) is becoming more common. The EPA Office of
Water (OW) is exploring options for enabling the exchange of this type of data. Several
partners have been sharing summaries of this type of data using the Water Quality
Exchange (WQX). WQX has worked well for sampling da la, but the data model for sensor
data is inherently different. It uses less metadata lor more results. Because of this,
approaches for sharing sensor data may also be different. This project would take
advantage of current thinking on the publishing approaches defined under Phase 2 of the
Exchange Network, as well as make use of the Exchange Network REST specification. EPA
is evaluating approaches that would allow stale, tribal and territorial partners to share
sensor by using a publishing service from their node or via a cloud node. As a Phase 2
project, partners should consider approaches that would make water quality sensor data
available via a publishing service that would allow for data to be cataloged and searched
from a central portal. Project work plans should include a commitment to evaluate
schemas developed for sharing this type of data, such as the recently approved Open
Geospatial	Consortium	WaterML	2.0	standard
(http://www.opengeospatial.org/slaiKlards/waterml) and the Sensor Observation
Service (http://www.opengeospalial.org/slaiulards/sos). The partnership would also
work with EPA on defining approaches lor integrating this information with sampling
data made available from WQX, as well as providing public access to this combined set of
information. Through this project, EPA is seeking to more fully represent the complete
set of water quality data that is being collected by continuing to support WQX for water
quality sampling data while identifying new approaches for sharing sensor data.

Tier 2 Exchange Network Activities:

>	Phase 1 EPA Reporting Flows. Additional funding for completing 10 priority flows as
listed in Appendix K(Register in ENDS)

>	1) Implementation by an Exchange Network partner (or partners) of any
of the 10 flows lor which an applicant has not received funding; or ,2) Addition
of entirely new modules to existing dataflows. For example, adding an entire
class of UIC reporting, adding a new RCRAInfo module, or adding a new data
family under ICIS-NPDES.

>	Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR).Development and
deployment of CROMERR upgrades to an existing electronic reporting system, described
in a CROMERR application previously approved by EPA, to bring it into compliance with
the regulatory standards. Applicants must commit to registering these resources in RCS.

>	Collaborative Opportunity. Partnership to develop multi-program
CROMERR application for states that currently do not have an enterprise-wide
approach or to adapt CROMERR solutions already approved by EPA that other

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states have implemented. (An application that additionally commits to using
the new EPA components and services that will provide CROMERR-compliant
functionality will be scored as a Tier 1 proposal.)

> Collaborative Tribal Opportunity. Tribal governments and inter-tribal consortia are
eligible to apply for Exchange Network grants to build tribal capacity that will enhance
environmental programs on tribal lands and a tribe's ability to share environmental data
electronically with EN partners. Collaborative tribal capacity building proposals must
include multiple tribes and identify tribes with existing capacity that can serve as
mentors. Collaborative tribal capacity proposals must identify specific outputs that result
in the increased ability to share environmental information electronically with EPA or
other EN partners (for example, developing a backeiul database for a priority data
system).

> Updating large national data sets. Schema development effort that will enable states
to flow data through the Exchange Network to update large national datasets that fall
under Appendix E of OMB Circular A-16: "Coordination of Geographic Information and
Related Spatial Data Activities." These datasets can include the National Hydrography
Dataset (NHD), National Watershed Boundary dataset, National Wetland Inventory
Dataset, National Elevation Dataset, Geographic Names Dataset and others listed in A-16.

In addition to the priority activities above, I'PA programs have identified other activities.
These are in Appendix A. The tier for these other activities are in bolded, italicized text in
Appendix A. For each data system in this appendix, the tier is identified either in a note
directly following the list of activities for that system (if the activities are all in the same tier)
or in parentheses al ter each activity if the activities within a system are in different tiers.

I.E.2. E-Enterprise Priorities

Consistent with the Exchange Network grant priorities, EPA is categorizing the E-Enterprise
grant priorities into two tiers. Tier 1 focuses on activities that will lay the groundwork for a
successful intergovernmental partnership to streamline and modernize the "enterprise" of
environmental protection. Tier 2 focuses on immediate progress toward joint EPA, State,
Tribal, and Territorial enterprise-wide performance goals for one million hours of regulatory
burden reduction. In both tiers, EPA will only accept project proposals from partnerships,
and the project outcomes must he transferable to other partners.

As described in Section V-A (evaluation criteria), applications that include at least one Tier
1 goal are eligible to receive 30 points. Applications that include at least one Tier 2 goal, but
no Tier 1 goal, are eligible to receive 20 points.

Tier 1 E-Enterprise Activities:

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> Participation in Joint Enterprise Architecture (EA) Analyses. The EPA has acquired
federal contract support for an E-Enterprise EA analysis. A copy of the task order is
attached for reference. Although the contract task order is structured to be collaborative,
the scope and available funding will have limited capacity to perform detailed analyses
of internal state, tribal, and territorial programs. To support active contribution of
intergovernmental analyses, E-Enterprise and the EN Network Technology Board
chartered an Integrated Project Team. Applications will include goals that support these
joint IPT analyses.

Example activities include:

• Strategic and Business Architecture.-: In support of Task 1 on the EPA contract,
use reference models and other tools lo conceptually organize and analyze
strategic performance goals, mission functions, and business processes. This
will help to identify the breadth of services offered across environmental
agencies and establish a baseline for analyses of performance improvements
and shared services.

• Functional Integration: In support of Task 3, identify groups of services within
the environmental sector that support similar functional requirements across
multiple programmatic and organizational silos. This would include
intergovernmental services that share common customers and interact with
those customers through similar mechanisms such as reporting, permitting,
financial assurance, labeling, registration, signatures, training. This would
also include programs that address similar policies and procedures, such as
record retention and the management of confidential business information.

• IT Resource Optimization: In support ol'Task 4, con duct inventories of existing
IT systems and underlying data, applications, and infrastructure in state and
tribal governments. Identify gaps in technology services, including
opportunities lo convert remaining paper-based processes to technology
services. Identify inefficiencies and redundancies in existing IT systems and
offer recommendations for new shared services, including cloud-based
infrastructure.

• Support for Policy Mandates: In order to coordinate distributed systems and
shared services, there need to be standardized methods for analyzing and
documenting individual IT systems and broader IT portfolios. In establishing
common methods and standards across governments, it is important to
identify any applicable policy drivers. At the federal level, EA is addressed in
a variety of policies, and the documentation of IT architectures plays an
important role in budgeting for IT capital investments. Task 8 of the EPA EA
contract includes the development of standardized tools and formats for EA
documentation. Example grant projects could include an analysis of
corresponding state and tribal level policy mandates and the development of
EA tools and documentation formats that comply with those policy mandates.

> Participation in Pilot Projects. In addition to the broad and comprehensive
Enterprise Architecture analysis, the EPA will be focusing on immediate opportunities
for shared services that can both reduce burden and optimize IT resources. As was the

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case with the overall EA project, these efforts are intended to be collaborative and will
require state, tribal, and territorial participation on IPTs.

Example activities include:

•	Federated Identity: The EPA is seeking opportunities to allow regulated
entities to use a common set of credentials (e.g. login and password) across
multiple environmental agencies and levels of government. To accomplish
this in the most efficient manner possible, the EPA is researching the
development of a single bridging solution. This federated bridge would
accommodate a single identity for state/tribal-specific users and systems,
CDX reporters, and users who would like to access My.USA.gov and other
federal agency services that adhere to the Federal Identity Credential and
Access Management (FICAM) trust framework solutions.

•	Portals: The EPA is initiating a scoping project lor the development of portals
for consolidating and streamli 11 i ng services and i 11 formation for regulated
entities and the public.

•	Advanced Monitoring: The EPA lias identified pilot initiatives for advanced
monitoring, including the Village Green program. State, tribal, and territorial
participation is needed to support the implementation of these programs in
at least two communities in fiscal year 20 IS.

•	BPM Suites and Model-Driven Architecture: The EPA is implementing a pilot
project for developing and coordinating environmental IT services from
platform-independent models rather than hard-coded software. Grant funds
can be applied to develop shared services lor states and tribes usingthe
same model-driven software suite.

•	Mobile Solutions: The EPA is scoping the development of mobile platforms
or device-agnostic services that can be accessed from multiple mobile
devices. Specifically, the liPA is scoping the development of a National
Inspection I'vidence System, a tablet-based compliance inspection tool.

Grant funds can support intergovernmental IPTs for scoping state inspection
tools or other mobile solutions that support transactions with regulated
entities.

> Modernizing the Legal Framework. Consistent with federal Executive Orders 12866,
13563 and 13610, the I'PA is planning new regulations and retrospectively reviewing
existing regulations to identity opportunities for regulatory burden reduction. Grant
funds can support corresponding projects that address the roles of delegated partners at
the state, tribal, and territorial level of government.

Example activities include:

•	Regulatory Reviews: Establishing policies and processes for tracking the
relationships between federal and state regulations and identifying
inefficiencies, redundancies, and cumulative burden in how EPA and the
state collaborate to implement a policy.

•	E-Regulations: Establishing IT tools to support this tracking and analysis.

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• Performance Projections: Performing analyses of compliance burden,
including paperwork burden, and establishing projections of regulatory
burden reduction from key regulatory reforms.

Tier 2 E-Enterprise Activities:

> Expand the Adoption of Existing Shared Services. Projects will support the
expanded use of shared services that streamline the delivery of environmental services
to regulated entities. This is intended to focus on the "backend" services for policy
implementation, rather than the existing efforts of the EN for networking and
information exchange. This can also include non-IT efforts to streamline the delivery of
services, such as improvements to intergovernmental policies and processes. All
applications for projects in this category must include activities for performance
analysis in the scope of their projects. The goal is to not only to adopt shared processes
and services, but to measure burden and costs avoided through reuse.

Example activities include:

• Non-IT Process Improvements: This can include any efforts to streamline the
delivery of services, such as intergovernmental policies and processes.

• Reusing Data: This can include the integration of datasets made available
from the EPA System of Registries and data published through the EN. The
data would need to be integrated into the software services in a way that
eliminates the redundant collection ol'similar data and achieves measurable
burden reduction for regulated entities.

• Reusing IT Services and Infrastructure: This can include the
intergovernmental sharing of services and supporting infrastructure. Grant
funds can go toward the investment in the changes necessary to support the
sharing ol'an existing service, such as movingthe service to a third party
cloud or establishing interfaces that can remotely call for the services (e.g. a
private cloud).

> Develop New Shared Services. Additional projects for new shared services will only
be selected if they are "shovel ready" projects that streamline the delivery of
environmental services to regulated entities. These can include services that were not
already identified Ibr pilots or scoping activities by the EPA or EELC. The services must
support the principles of M-Enterprise and forward the performance goals for
regulatory burden reduction and new advanced monitoring approaches. The projects
must demonstrate that an alternatives analysis was performed, including market
research of existing government-off-the-shelf or commercial-off-the-shelf solutions.
The projects must also demonstrate that initial requirements gathering was already
completed and that a solution architecture has been established. All applications for
projects in this category must include activities for performance analysis in the scope of
their projects.

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Example activities include:

• State/Tribal Level Solutions: This can include services that can be adopted
by two or more partner governments at the state, tribal, or territorial levels.

• Integration at Multiple Levels of Government: This can include industry-to-
state-to-EPA solutions similar to the model for federal and state taxes. For
example, this could include the development of a service that reuses
information submitted at the federal level, and only requires regulated
entities to add the minimum information required to account for differences
in state requirements.

I-F. Partnership Agreements

Project narratives and budgets should explain specifically why the proposed project
requires additional resources available through a partnership assistance agreement.
Reasons for additional funding may include project complexity or activities in support
of partner collaboration. Partnership applications may fall into Tier 1 or Tier 2; EPA will
determine the appropriate tier based on llie specific project proposals and the Program
Priorities described in Section I-E. See Section lll-C, "Eligibility Criteria for Partnership
Applications," before making any financial com mi Inn.1 ills to project partners or listing
these partners in an application.

II. Award Information

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number lor llie Exchange Network/E-
Enterprise Grant Program is fifi.fiOH f http://www.clda.gov).

II-A. General Information

Exchange Network. In FY 20 IS, !¦ PA expects to award about $10,000,000 for 40 to
50 assistance agreements of up to $500,000 each. The exact number of grants will
depend on llie final amount ol'FPA's appropriation for the grantprogram, the number
of applications submitted to FPA by the application deadline, the amounts of
proposed budgets, and the outcome of application reviews.

Most awards will be in llie $50,000 to $300,000 range. Awards to a single
applicant cannot exceed $300,000. EPA may make a limited number of awards
to collaborative, partnership assistance agreements. Budgets for these
projects cannot exceed $500,000. EPA remains committed to, at a minimum,
awarding tribal assistance agreements equal to approximately 10 percent of the
appropriated funds. The amount awarded to tribes may be greater than this
minimum level, depending on the merit of tribal applications and on the competitive
review of all applications. The standard period of performance for each project
is three years. EPA expects to announce the FY 2015 Exchange Network and E-
Enterprise Grant program awards in April 2015 and award the grants by July 31,
2015.

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E-Enterprise. In FY 2015, EPA expects to award about $1.5 million for three to four
assistance agreements up to $500,000 each. For E-Enterprise assistance agreements,
EPA is only accepting partnership applications.

For both Exchange Network and E-Enterprise assistance agreements, EPA reserves
the right to partially fund applications by funding only proposed goals that the
Agency believes to be eligible and appropriate Exchange Network projects. If EPA
decides to partially fund a project, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice
any applicants or affectthe basis upon which EPA evaluated and selected the
application or portion thereof for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the
competition and selection process.

Additional Awards: EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this
announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes
available after the original selections. EPA will make any additional selections for
awards no later than six months from the dale of the original selections.

II-B. Types of Assistance

EPA may award assistance agreements funded through the Exchange Network/E-
Enterprise Grant Program as grants or cooperative agreements, in-kind services or
performance partnership grants. I'PA will consider an applicant's preferences when the
Agency decides what type of assistance to award.

EPA uses assistance agreement vehicles to transfer funding and services to a recipient to
accomplish a public purpose. Unlike contracts, grants are structured and managed to
ensure the project benefits the recipient toward the identified public purpose. Exchange
Network assistance agreements allow recipients to develop infrastructure, systems and
capacity to electronically report environmental information and participate fully on the
Network. Applicants should identify and justify requests for the various structural
elements available within their assistance agreement to best achieve their project goals.
EPA will consider the following options for awarding EN resources:

•	Grant or Cooperative Agreement. Grants represent direct funding to a recipient to
support an identified project with defined environmental results. A cooperative
agreement anticipates substantial involvement from EPA, in collaboration with the
recipient, to achieve project results. If the recipient does not identify a preference,
EPA's default award will be a grant.

•	Direct Funding or In-Kind Services. EPA will consider grantee requests to use all
or a portion of awarded grant funds to provide in-kind services to the recipient through
an EPA contract vehicle. Applicants should request and justify project efficiencies they
expect from this approach.

•	Single Grant or Performance Partnership/Consolidated Grants. An applicant
whose organization has an existing Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) with EPA
may request any new grant recommended for funding be incorporated into the PPG.
Similarly, a territorial applicant whose territory has a Consolidated Grant (CG) with
EPA may request that new awards be incorporated into the CG. Absent a request from
the recipient for inclusion within a PPG or CG, EPA will award the grant in a stand-alone

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vehicle. PPG's and CG's are not available options for E-Enterprise assistance agreements.

II-C.	Funding Restrictions

Applicants may propose EN project funding for costs associated with personnel
salaries and fringe benefits, Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreements (IPAs)
travel, travel related to Exchange Network activities, equipment, supplies,
contractual costs, in-kind services provided by EPA, and indirect costs. Applicants
may not use EN funding for the following functions (see Appendix K for definitions):

•	Construction costs;

•	Operations and maintenance including previously developed and
implemented EN projects;

•	Workshops and Conferences thatare not initialed, advertised, and conducted
for the benefit of the recipient and other sUile, tribal, territorial, or local
representatives or public participants or are conducted primarily for EPA's
benefit;

•	Pre-Award Costs not previously requested to cover pre-award costs incurred
90 days or less before the award date; and

•	Management Fees in excess of the direct costs and indirect costs at the rate
approved by the applicant's cognizant audit agency, or atthe rate provided for by
the terms of the agreement negotiated with I'PA.

III. Eligibility Information

III-A.	Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for the Exchange Network/I'-Enterprise Grant program include states,
U.S. Territories (i.e., American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
the District of Columbia, Guam, Palau, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands), federally
recognized Indian tribes and native villages and inter-tribal consortia of federally recognized
tribes (e.g., the Northwest Indian I'isheries Commission because their membership is
primarily federally recognized tribes and they have sufficient controls to ensure tribes will
benefit from funding).

Other entities, such as regional air pollution control districts and some public universities
may apply for assistance if they are agencies or instrumentalities of a state under applicable
state laws. These entities, as well as other entities that submit applications asserting they
are agencies or instrumentalities of a state, must provide with the application a letter from
the appropriate state Attorney General certifying that the applicant is an agency or
instrumentality of the state. EPA will not consider an application that does not contain the
required documentation.

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Examples of Eligible Project Leads:

State Department of Environmental
Quality

> Territorial Environment Division

y Tribal Council on behalf of two or
more tribal environmental and/or
health agencies

y State Department of Public Health

y Tribal Water Quality Administration

y State Office of the Chief Information
Officer

y Regional Air Quality Board
delegated authority for the air
program

y State university where the university
or the university system is formally
designated as an instrumentality of
the state

EPA recognizes that some EPA programs are
delegated to local governments, which are
responsible for reporting data to EPA. Local
governments that can demonstrate that they
are instrumentalities of the state by
providing the documentation described in
the preceding paragraph are eligible to apply
for Exchange Network Grants. Most local
governments that are delegated to
implement EPA programs, however, are not
agencies or instrumentalities of the state
(i.e., a true agency or instrumentality is under
the direct control of the state and the
management of a state agency or
instrumentality may generally be changed by
the state executive or oIIkt state officials)
and, therefore, are not eligible to apply. EPA
encourages such entities lo partner with a
state applicant to allow for their data to be
reported and shared through the Exchange
Network. Interstate commissions and other
interstate entities are not eligible to apply
and are also encouraged to partner with a
state applicant.

EPA will only evaluate applications from eligible entities (see above). EPA will notify
ineligible applicants they are not being considered for funding within 15 calendar days of
the ineligibility determination. Applicants with questions about eligibility can contact
Salena Reynolds, Exchange Nelwork/E-Enterprise Grants Program Manager, at (202) 566-
0466 or reynolds.salena(»'lL'pa.m)v. They may also attend Exchange Network Users
meetings lo learn about and discuss Exchange Network projects and technology.
Applicants not meeting the eligibility criteria may consider collaborative work with
eligible organizations.

EPA will only evaluate applications with eligible entities identified as the lead
implementing agency lor the project.

III-B. Threshold Criteria for Funding Goals

EPA will eliminate from consideration for funding any application that does not meet
the following requirements.

EPA will only review:

1. Proposed goals that lead to the completion of activities listed in the Priorities
Section (I-E), additional activities identified in Appendix A, or others provided

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they are consistent with the EN or EE priorities. Completion in the context of
the Exchange Network means committing to fully implement a flow, data
publishing, deployment of a Web service or other eligible projects. Applicants
should show their commitment to complete projects as one or more specific
outputs. For E-Enterprise, completion means fully implementing an evaluation
or assessment, developing findings and reaching conclusions or developing a
target architecture or a "to-be" business process.

2.	Applications that comply with the application submission instructions and
requirements in Section IV and Appendix E of this announcement. Section IV
and Appendix E require that a project narrative not exceed 10 pages. EPA
will not review any narrative page aI'ler the tenth page.

3.	Applications postmarked, delivered hy an overnight courier service, or
electronically submitted through www.grants.gov as specified in Section IV
and Appendix E ofthis announcement on or before the application submission
deadline published in Section IV and Appendix E ofthis announcement.

4.	Applications with project periods of three years, applications from a single
applicant with a maximum budget of $300,000 or multi-partner, collaborative
applications with a maximum budget of $500,000.

5.	Applications from applicants with fewer than live active Exchange Network
assistance agreements with the Agency. I-PA will determine whether an
applicant meets this threshold criterion on January 15,2015, prior to the final
scoring of applications by Agency grant review panels. EPA considers an
assistance agreement active if the Agency has not yet approved the final
technical report. I-PA will consider an agreement closed (and therefore not
included in this count"), if the Regional Project Officer approves the applicant's
final technical report on or before January 15, 2015.

EPA will not review:

1.	Applications from applicants who already have five or more active Exchange
Network assistance agreements with the Agency. EPA will determine whether
an applicant meets this threshold criterion on January 15, 2015, prior to the
final scoring of applications by Agency grant review panels. An assistance
agreement will be considered active if EPA has not yet approved the final
technical report. EPA will consider an agreement closed (and therefore not
included in this count), if the Regional Project Officer approves the applicant's
final technical report on or before January 15, 2015.

2.	Applications with project periods of more than three years, applications from
a single applicant with a budget of more than $300,000 or multi-partner,
collaborative applications that have budgets over $500,000.

3.	Applications from applicants who have unaddressed compliance issues with

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prior federal assistance agreements. Unaddressed compliance issues may
include: open programmatic findings (programmatic baseline reporting),
open administrative findings (administrative baseline reporting), high risk, or
Inspector General audits. In order to be eligible for a new EN grant, the
applicant must either: 1) Not appear within the IGMS Grantee Compliance and
Recipient Activity Summary Database, or 2) Develop a Corrective Action Plan
to address any Compliance Database issues, and have this Plan approved by
the federal project officer.

4. Applications with any activities or deliverables for which the applicant has
previously received funds. If a proposed goal is similar to one previously
funded, the application must describe how previously funded activities differ
from those currently proposed or howthe current application will complement
or build on past or ongoing work.

5. Applications postmarked, delivered by an overnight courier service, or
electronically submitted through www.grants.gov after the submission
deadline. These applications will he considered late and returned to the
sender without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly
demonstrate that it was late due to I'PA mishandling or because of
technical problems associated with www.grants.gov. Applicants should
confirm receipt of their application with Salena Reynolds
(reynolds.salena@epa.gov) as soon as possible after the submission deadline
- failure to do so may result in EPA not reviewing the application.

6. Applications that include any ineligible tasks or activities. If an application is
submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the
application will be ineligible lor funding and may, depending on the extent to
which it ali'ects the application, render the entire application ineligible for
funding.

III-C. Eligibility Criteria for Partnership Applications

EPA will consider the higher funding limit ($500,000) for projects that include more
than one Exchange Network partner. EE applications must include more than one partner
and are eligible for the $500,000 funding limit. For these, one eligible entity must lead the
collaborative effort and assume program and financial responsibility for the project. In a
letter of intent or similar document, partners must, state both their general support
for the project, and commit to specific project activities. The lead partner must submit
partner commitment documents with the application.

The lead partner for a partnership application must demonstrate within their application
the project's support for Exchange Network or E-Enterprise priorities and explain how the
partnership components justify a need for the additional partnership funding. EPA will
not consider partnerships formed from within a single state, territorial, or tribal
government as eligible. For instance, a partnership between an environment and a
health department within a state would not be an eligible partnership. EPA will limit

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funding for intrastate projects of this sort to the maximum funding for a single-
jurisdiction grant for an Exchange Network application, which in FY 2015 is
$300,000. Intra-state partnerships (unless it is a partnership between a state and a
tribe) are not eligible for E-Enterprise funding.

III-D.	Cost Sharing or Matching

Grants for Exchange Network and E-Enterprise projects do not require cost sharing
or matching of funds by applicants.

IV. Application and Submission Information

Applicants for the FY 2015 Exchange Network/I'-I jilerprise (irant program must submit
an application package to EPA by November 7, 2014. H'A will accept applications for
National Environmental Information Exchange Nelwork/I'-I jilerprise grants in one of two
ways: 1) a hardcopy mailed or delivered application, including one original and two copies;
or 2] an application submitted electronically through the grants.gov website. EPA will
confirm receipt of each application with an e-mail to the contact(s) listed in the cover letter.

The specific requirements of the application package and each document included with the
package are available in Appendix !¦, which outlines the format for the project narrative
(no more than ten-single-spaced pages) and provides detailed application instructions.
Appendix H provides a checklist of required documents to submit. Fillable versions of
these forms are availahle at http://www.epa.uov/oud/AppKil/application.htm.

EPA may require applicants approved lor funding to submit additional or updated
documents to complete the funding package. I-PA will provide further instructions for
submittal of additional or updated documents at thattime.

IV-A.	Submission Date and Time

Signed and completed application packages as described in Appendix E must be sent
electronically via grants.gov. postmarked, or delivered by an overnight courier service no
later than 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, November 7, 2014. EPA will return
application packages to the sender without further consideration if they are postmarked,
sent electronically through grants.gov or delivered by an overnight courier after the
published closing dale and lime.

IV-B. Intergovernmental Review

This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (EO) 12372,
"Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs."

IV-C. Partnership Agreements

EPA awards funds to one eligible applicant as the recipient even if other eligible
applicants are partners or members of a coalition or consortium. The awardee is
accountable to EPA for the proper expenditure of funds, programmatic and administrative
reporting and attainment of program and environmental results.

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Grantees may provide subgrants or subawards to fund partner work within the overall
project, provided the recipient complies with applicable requirements for subawards or
subgrants including those contained in 40 CFR Parts 30 or 31, as appropriate. Successful
applicants cannot use subgrants or subawards to avoid requirements in EPA grant
regulations for competitive procurement by using these instruments to acquire
commercial services or products from for-profit organizations to carry out its assistance
agreement. For more detailed information on partnership agreements, contracts and
subawards, please see Appendix G.

EPA panels will review applicants' qualifications, past performance and reporting history
and will consider, as appropriate and relevant, the qualifications, expertise and experience
of formal partners. Applicants should detail their own project roles and responsibilities,
experience and past performance and those of their formal partners. Section V, below,
describes in detail the evaluation criteria and process EPA will use to make selections
under this Notice.

IV-D. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated Into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this
solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information,
contracts and subawards under grants, and proposal assistance and communications, can
be found at http://www.epa.uov/ogd/competition/solicitation provisions.htm . These,
and the other provisions thai can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants
must review them when preparing proposals for this solicitation. Ifyou are unable to access
these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA
contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

V. Application Review Information

V-A.l Exchange Network Evaluation Criteria

EPA review panels will evaluate and score applications from eligible applicants using the
evaluation criteria in this section. The EPA Selection Official will make final funding
decisions based on an applicant's score and other factors discussed in section V-B.

EPA will score (highest possible score is 100) and rank applications. The possible point
totals for each of the five major evaluation criteria are listed below in bold text. Sub-
components (or possible point deductions) within each of the five criteria are listed in bold
italic text below the relevant criterion.

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Goals, Outputs, and Outcomes in Exchange Network Grant
Applications

Each application must include one or more goals, outputs for each goal and at least
one outcome for each goal. Goals, outputs and outcomes each have specific meanings
in the context of Exchange Network proposals. The following is a list of the Exchange
Network usage for each of these terms.

•	Goals are the products of a self-contained project such as the implementation of
a dataflow. A proposed goal might be to upgrade eForms to use Shared
CROMERR Services and Components, lor instance. A proposed project must
have at least one goal and may have more than one goal.

•	Projects progress towards goals through a series of outputs from their beginning
to their conclusion. Outputs are intermediate accomplishments necessary to achieve
a particular goal. Examples include completion of a schema or testing a flow. Each
output should have a scheduled completion date. Scheduled outputs demonstrate
"a plan that allows the applicant to track, and report to EPA, progress towards
achieving proposed goals" [see the second hulleled criterion on page 28).

•	Each goal should have at least one outcome leading to an environmental result.
Examples include supporting better decision-making by building data access for
environmental professionals and the public or facilitating environmentally sound
place-based decision-making through the inclusion of quality locational data. See
section "I-1) Ijivironmental Results Supported by Assistance Activities" of this
Solicitation Notice for more examples.

If an applicant uses the terms "goals," "outputs" and "outcomes" properly, the
application will be easier for reviewers to understand and score. Using terms such as
"objective," "target," "task" or "milestone" will make it more difficult for reviewers to
understand and properly score the application.

Appendix F provides an example of how to demonstrate goals, outputs and outcomes
clearly. EPA encourages applicants to followthis example when applying.

1. Project Outputs and Outcomes Leading to Environmental Results (20 points):

For each goal, EPA will use the following criteria to evaluate the appropriateness and
clarity of project outputs and outcomes leading to environmental results (such as
improved environmental decision-making):

•	Does each proposed goal have at least one outcome that leads to an environmental
result? These might include outcomes such as improving the timeliness,
completeness, and accuracy of environmental data; reducing the burden and costs
associated with data management and reporting; or supporting better

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environmental decision making by enhancing data access for environmental
professionals and the public, as well as providing high quality locational data to
facilitate place-based approaches such as community-oriented initiatives. (10
points)

• Does the application include a plan that allows the applicant to track and report
progress towards achieving the proposed goal to EPA? Each grant-funded goal, such
asaprojectto complete a web application that will allowusers to display, analyze,
or collect environmental information, should have several outputs scheduled over
the project period. (10 points)

2. Project Feasibility and Approach (15 points):

EPA will evaluate the feasibility of proposed projects using the following criteria:

• Does the application clearly describe individual project roles and responsibilities for
the applicant and, for collaborative projects, each partner? (5 points)

• All projects involving programmatic data must describe programmatic involvement
in the development and management of the project. This description must include the
names, positions and roles of all who are involved in the project. For example, "Jane
Doe, multimedia inspector, will advise the Project Manager and contractor on the
Compliance Dashboard design and lake part in end user testing." Some projects may
not need programmatic participants. An example would be a CROMERR system
upgrade. In this case, the proposal should explain why programmatic involvement
was unnecessary. (5points)

• Applicants must explicitly commit, in their response to this Solicitation Notice, that
they will reuse existing project-appropriate EN tools and resources. This requires
searching Reusable Component Services (RCS) and Exchange Network Discovery
Services (ENDS) for resources such as dataflows, Web services or EN services. The
applicant must also commit in writing to register any new tool or resource they
develop in RCS or any new node, dataflow or EN service in ENDS. For innovative
flows, applicants must demonstrate that the project will result in reusable tools and
services for the Exchange Network. Beginning in FY 2015 all applicants must commit
to the following reuse and sharing outputs:

• The applicant will search for, and use where appropriate, existing EN tools
and resources. This output would appear at or near the beginning of the
project.

• The applicant will register any tool or resource they develop for the project.
This output would appear at or near the end of the project. (5 points)

3. Exchange Network Priorities (up to 30 points):

EPA will evaluate the consistency of proposed work with EN priorities (Section I-E). More
details on data exchange activities are in Appendix A or the EN website at
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/ exchanges/.

Applications will receive points for EN priorities only if the work plan commits to a
completed and sustained product such as a data flow or a publishing effort.

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For applications that have a single goal, the goal must commit to complete a project to be
eligible for funding. For applications that have multiple goals, each goal must commit to
complete a project. Any goal that is part of a multiple goal application that does not commit
to complete a project will not be funded.

Under this criterion, projects that include at least one Tier 1 activity will receive the
maximum 30 points. If an application is for a Tier 2 priority, and does not include any Tier
1 activities, it will only receive 20 points.

4. Budget, Resources, and Key Personnel (20 points):

EPA will evaluate: (1) the budget's appropriateness including the amount allocated to each
goal and its adequacy to support and complete the proposed work; and (2) the
qualifications of the project manager and oIIkt kcv personnel l<> perform the project.

• Does the application include a total budget amount for each goal in the project
narrative? (10 points)

• Does the application document the qualifications of the project manager and
other key personnel who would perform the proposed work? In the case of a tribal
applicant who proposes to use a portion of this grant to hire key personnel for a
capacity building proposal, lias the applicant submitted a statement of
knowledge, skills, abilities, and qualifications from the recruitment package for
that position? (5 points)

• Expenditure of Awarded Grant Funds (5 points)

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on their approach,
procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended
in a timely and efficient manner.

Failure to provide a detailed itemized budget will result in a mandatory 10-point

deduction on your application.

5. Past Performance (15 points):

EPA will evaluate the past performance of an Exchange Network grant applicant with one
or more previous EN grants based on the percentage of semi-annual reports they have
submitted historically.

• Has the applicant made sufficient progress toward achieving the expected results in
the prior assistance agreements? (10 points)

• Has the applicant submitted less than 90% of the progress reports required in the
terms and conditions of the prior assistance agreements within thirty days of their
due dates? (5 point deduction)

-------
Please note that in evaluating applicants under this criterion, the Agency will consider the
information provided by the applicant (including semi-annual report submissions) and
may also consider relevant information from other sources (including agency files and
prior or current grantors to verify or supplement the information supplied by the
applicant).

EPA's monitoring of Exchange Network grant performance indicates that the majority of
grantees are making steady progress. The work under some grants, however, is falling
behind schedule or has stopped altogether. Although unliquidated obligations (ULO's - also
known as unspent balances) are not a perfect indicator of grant progress, they can serve as
a useful proxy to indicate if there are performance problems. Consequently, EPA
established the following criteria for grants with excessively high ULO's or unspent
balances:

Figure 1-2: Criteria for Identifying Excessive ULO's

Period of
Performance
Milestone

Criteria - Unspent Balance as Percent of Awarded Funds

End of year two

Greater than or equal to 95 percent

End ofyear three

Greater than or equal to 70 percent

End of year four

Greater than or equal to 40 percent

End of year five

Greater than or equal to 10 percent

The past performance evaluation criterion will include consideration of ULO's. Specifically,
for any grant that meets the appropriate excessive ULO criterion in Figure 1-2, all
applications submitted by the recipient of that grant will automatically lose 10 points,
unless the applicant can explain that the excessively high ULO was not due to action or
inaction on the part of the state, tribe or territory. For example, an adequate explanation
would be delays in the grant's project schedule resulting from delays on the part of EPA.
EPA will post lists of grants that meet these criteria on its Exchange Network website
(http://www.epa.gov/exchanL;enetwork/grants/) during the first week of October 2014,
and will also request that the Ijivironmental Council of the States (ECOS) notify Exchange
Network partners via an l-N Alert. (Potential grant applicants may sign up for EN Alerts by
sending a request to Greg McNellv of ECOS at gmcnellv(5) ecos.org 1. The final determination
of whether previously awarded Exchange Network grants meet the excessive ULO
threshold will be made from the following quarter's report, which EPA will make available
during January 2015.

V-A.2 E- Enterprise Evaluation Criteria

EPA review panels will evaluate and score applications from eligible applicants using the
criteria in this section. The EPA Selection Official will make final funding decisions based
on an applicant's score and other factors discussed in section V-B.

EPA will score (highest possible score is 100) and rank applications. The possible point

30

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totals for each of the five major evaluation criteria are listed below in bold text. Sub-
components (or possible point deductions) within each of the five criteria are listed in bold
italic text below the relevant criterion.

1. Project Outputs and Outcomes Leading to Environmental Results (20 points):

Goals, Outputs, and Outcomes in Exchange Network Grant Applications

Each application must include one or more goals, outputs for each goal and at least
one outcome for each goal. Goals, outputs and outcomes each have specific meanings
in the context of E-Enterprise proposals. The following is a list of the usage for each of
these terms.

• Goals are the end products of a sell-contained project such as the implementation
of a streamlined or shared service. . A proposed goal might be to share a
common service across multiple agencies, for instance. A proposal must
have at least one goal and may have more than one goal.

• Projects progress towards goals through a series of outputs from their beginning
to their conclusion. Outputs are intermediate accomplishments necessary to achieve
a particular goal. Examples include establishing a cloud-based software-as-
a-service. Scheduled outputs should demonstrate "a plan that allows the
applicantto track, and report to l-PA, progress towards achieving proposed goals."

Each goal should have at least one outcome leading to a result that streamlines a
source environmental policy or the services for implementing that policy. Examples
include reducing burden by harmonizing requirements for protecting confidential
business information, and streamlining services by creating a shared financial
assurance application.

Definitions of "outcome" and "output" may be found in Appendix K.

If an applicant uses the terms "goals," "outputs" and "outcomes" properly, the
application will be easier for reviewers to understand and score. Using terms such as
"objective," "target," "task" or "milestone" will make it more difficult for reviewers to
understand and properly score an Exchange Network grant application.

Appendix F provides an example of how to demonstrate goals, outputs and outcomes
clearly. EPA encourages applicants to follow this example when applying.

For each goal, EPA will use the following criteria to evaluate the appropriateness and
clarity of project outputs and outcomes leading to environmental results (such as
improved environmental decision-making):

• Does each proposed goal have at least one outcome that leads to a result that
streamlines a source environmental policy or the services for implementing that
policy? (10 points)

• Does the application include a plan that allows the applicant to track and report

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progress towards achieving the proposed goal to EPA? Each grant-funded goal, such
as a shared service, should have several outputs scheduled over the project period.
(10 points)

2. Project Feasibility and Approach (15 points):

EPA will evaluate the feasibility of proposed projects using the following criteria:

• Does the application clearly describe individual project roles and responsibilities for
each partner? (7.5 points)

• All projects involving programmatic systems must describe programmatic
involvement in the development and management of the project. This description
must include the names, positions and roles of all who are involved in the project. For
example, "Jane Doe, multimedia inspector, will advise the Project Manager and
contractor on the Compliance Dashboard design and lake part in end user testing."
Some projects may not need programmatic participants. An example would be a
system shared between two states. In this case, the proposal should explain why
programmatic involvement was unnecessary. (7.5 points)

3. E-Enterprise Priorities (up to 30 points):

EPA will evaluate the consistency of proposed work with F-l jiterprise priorities (Section
I-E).

Applications will receive points for F-Fnterprise priorities only if the work plan commits
to a completed and sustained product. For instance, if a project goal is to develop a shared
service, there must be an output that commits grantee to full and sustained
implementation of the project.

For applications that have a single goal, the goal must commit to complete a project to be
eligible for funding. For applications that have multiple goals, each goal must commit to
complelea project. Any goal that is part ol'a multiple goal application that does not commit
to complete a project will not be funded.

4. Budget, Resources, and Key Personnel (20 points):

• Does the application include a total budget amount for each goal in the project
narrative? (10 points)

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• Does the application document the qualifications of the project manager and
other key personnel who would perform the proposed work? In the case of a tribal
applicant who proposes to use a portion of this grant to hire key personnel for a
capacity building proposal, has the applicant submitted a statement of
knowledge, skills, abilities, and qualifications from the recruitment package for
that position? (5 points)

• Expenditure of Awarded Grant Funds (5 points)

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on their approach,
procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended
in a timely and efficient manner.

Failure to provide a detailed itemized budget will result in a mandatory 10-point

deduction on your application.

5. Past Performance (15 points):

EPA will evaluate the past performance of an !¦- Enterprise grant applicant with one or
more previous EN grants based on the percentage of semi-annual reports they have
submitted historically. EPA is using EN grants as a proxy for past performance for E-
Enterprise proposals because there arc no previous I'M grants and there is a close
association between the Exchange Network and E-l jilerprise.

• Has the applicant made sufficient progress toward achieving the expected results in
the prior assistance agreements? (10 points)

• Has the applicant submitted less than 90'/. of the progress reports required in the
terms and conditions of the prior assistance agreements within thirty days of their
due dates? (5 point deduction)

Please note that in evaluating applicants under this criterion, the Agency will consider the
information provided by the applicant (including semi-annual report submissions from
previous Exchange Network grants) and may also consider relevant information from
other sources (including agency files and prior or current grantors to verify or supplement
the information supplied by the applicant).

V-B. Review and Selection Process

EPA review panels will base their evaluation and ranking of applications on the criteria
listed in section V-A. The EPA reviewers will submit comments and rankings and make
funding recommendations to the selection official, the Assistant Administrator of the
Office of Environmental Information (OEI) or his or her designee, who will make the final
funding decisions. The EPA selection official may decide to partially fund a project to
focus limited resources only on those demonstrated goals and results of each project
that support the stated Exchange Network and E-Enterprise priorities within this
Solicitation Notice.

Other Evaluation Factors: In making the final funding decisions from among the most

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highly scored applications, the EPA selection official may consider one or more of
the following factors:

• EPA programs' ability or readiness to support proposed project activities;

• Geographic distribution of funding;

• Selection of higher priority activities over other assistance activities;

• Ensuring participation in the Exchange Network by federally recognized Indian
tribes and inter-tribal consortia; and

• EPA's capacity to provide any requested in-kind services.

V-C. Anticipated Award Dates

EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions in or around April 2015. EPA
plans to issue the awards by July 2015.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI-A. Award Notices

EPA will notify all applicants (by telephone, electronic or postal mail) of their status in or
around April 2015. The notification will be sent l<> the original signer of the application
or the project contact listed in the application. The notification of a full or partial funding
recommendation, which advises the applicant that EPA has preliminarily selected and
recommended their proposed project lor award, is not an authorization to begin work.
The award notice, signed by an EPA grants officer, is the authorizing document and will be
provided through electronic or postal mail. The lime between notification of selection
and award of a grant can lake up to 90 days or longer.

VI-B. Administration and National Policy Requirements

Each assistance agreement will include a set of Administrative Terms and Programmatic
Conditions, such as requirements lor electronic funding transfers, additional financial
status reporting, limitations on payments to consultants and application of indirect cost
rates. Those terms and conditions form the basis for the final award of Exchange
Network/E-Enterprise grant funding. Failure to concur with the included terms and
conditions will invalidate the award.

In accordance with the l'\change Network Interoperability Policy, applicants must
commit, in writing, to the reuse of existing dataflows and EN services registered in
Exchange Network Discovery Services (ENDS), and other IT resources such as
widgets and REST Web services registered in Reusable Component Services (RCS).
For information on reuse, please see Appendix K. Applicants must also commit to
registering any newly developed resources in ENDS or RCS as appropriate.
Information about ENDS can be found at

www.exchangenetwork.net/2011/07/15/exchange-network-discovery-service-
ends/: information about RCS can be found at www.epa.gov/rcs. EPA will require
all recipients of grants issued under this solicitation notice to meet these conditions.

EPA will include a grant condition in the assistance agreement requiring the recipient

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to submit a tailored Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) to the EPA Regional
Project Officer within 90 days of the award issuance date. This tailored QAPP must
describe for each goal and task: the relevant task-specific Quality Assurance (QA)
criteria, how the recipient will ensure adherence with the QA criteria, and how the
recipient will confirm and document that the project deliverables meet the QA
criteria. Completion of the Exchange Network Quality Assurance Reporting Form
(QARF) satisfies the requirements for a tailored QAPP. The QA criteria information
specified above must be documented for each goal and task under the Quality
Assurance Measures section of the Exchange Network QARF. The template for the
Exchange Network QARF can be found at

http://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/grants/iiKle\.hlinl and in Appendix I of this
notice.

VI-C. Reporting

Semi-Annual Performance Progress Reports: Reporting is an important obligation that
award recipients agree to undertake when they sign an assistance agreement. Both EPA
and recipients are accountable to Congress and lo the public for the proper and effective
use of Exchange Network or E-Enterprise assistance liiiuls. Award recipients will submit
semi-annual and final technical reports electronically through EPA's Central Data
Exchange (CDX) using a Web Ibrm. I'PA will provide successful applicants with detailed
instructions for registering with and reporting through CDX at the time of award.

VI-D. Dispute Resolution Provision

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the
dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630
(January 26, 2005) which can be found at

http://www.epa.L;ov/oL;d/competition/resol ution.htm. Copies of these procedures may
also be requested by contacting Salena Reynolds at 202-566-0466 or
revnolds.salena@epa.L;ov.

VI-E. Unliquidated Obligations

EPA expects an applicant that receives an award under this announcement to manage
assistance agreement funds efficiently and effectively and make sufficient progress
towards completing the project activities described in the work-plan in a timely manner.
The assistance agreement will include terms and conditions implementing this
requirement. EPA uses the criteria in section V-A to help determine if an applicant is
expending grant funds at an acceptable rate. Grantees who meet the above criteria for
excessive ULO's for Exchange Network assistance agreements may be subject to scoring
penalties in future grant applications.

VI-F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated Into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this

solicitation, including but not limited to those related to DUNS, SAM, copyrights, disputes,

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and	administrative	capability,	can	be	found	at

http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation provisions.htm. These, and the other
provisions that can be found at the website link, are important and applicants must review
them when preparing proposals for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these
provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact
listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

36

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VII. Agency Contacts

The primary EPA Headquarters point of contact is:

Salena Reynolds

Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant Program Manager
Office of Information Collection
Office of Environmental Information

Phone: (202) 566-0466
Facsimile: (202) 566-1684
Email: revnolds.salena(5)epa.gov

Mailing Address:

Salena Reynolds

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (2823-T)
Washington, DC 20460

Physical Addr GSS (for overnight, or courier deliveries)

Silk1 nil Reynolds

U.S. I jivironmenlal Protection Agency
L301 Constitution Avenue, NW (Rm 6416S)
Washington, DC 20004

37

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Appendix A

Suggested Exchange Network Data Exchange Activities

This Appendix outlines some example project opportunities that applicants should
consider when applying for the FY 2015 National Environmental Information Exchange
Network/E-Enterprise Grant Program. Appendix A contains two subsections: I.) Definition
of Standard Milestones for EPA Information System or Data Exchanges; and II.) Data
Exchanges (descriptions of individual data exchanges and related EN activities). This
Appendix highlights the EPA Program Office activities related to flows and provides
suggested activities for applicants to consider when developing their application.

The Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant Program supports a variety of activities,
including the development of common data standards, formats and trading partner
agreements for sharing data over the Exchange Network and implementation of
collaborative, innovative uses of the Exchange Network. It also supports the
standardization, exchange and integration of geospatial information to address
environmental, natural resource and related human-health issues.

As part of the standardization mentioned above, grantees must utilize data standards that
have been previously approved by the Exchange Network Leadership Council (ENLC) as
they develop Exchange Network products and services. In most cases, the data standards
needed in implementation will have previously been incorporated in the major EPA
systems and Exchange Network dataflows. These data standards can simply be re-used.
For detailed information on each l-NLC approved standard please refer to the Exchange
Network website at http://www.exchangenetwork.net/standards/index.htm. There is
also a separate document (located at the website cited above) to assist you with
understanding how these standards have been implemented within the specific EPA
systems. Please note that in some cases applicants may need to identify areas for new
data standardization. If so, applications should identify the data standards needed and
project the funding required to development them.

The success of the Exchange Network will ultimately depend on how EPA and its partners
use the data and information that are exchanged to enhance decision-making and
programmatic operations. EPA encourages all partners to use the Exchange Network to
meet their business needs. This could include exchanging data that supports national
environmental systems, as well as data that support particular state, territorial and tribal
needs. Innovative projects must demonstrate that they will leverage Exchange Network
technology and result in the development of reusable services for the Exchange Network.
These reusable services and components must be registered into the Exchange Network
Discovery Service (ENDS) and into the Reusable Component Services (RCS), as
appropriate.

A-l

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I. Definition of Standard Milestones for EPA Information
Systems or Data Exchanges

This section will assist EPA Programs and Exchange Network partners in better
understanding the EPA Program Office activities and establish consistency across all
dataflows by further defining each milestone. These activities may be already completed,
in process or planned at the time of release of this guidance.

Testing of XML schema - (Version X) - Schema has completed EPA testing and is ready
for limited release to Exchange Network Partners that will support the testing process with
EPA to identify any potential issues from real data exchanges. This includes the use of real
data sets in XML instance documents. At this stage, Partners will have the constructs for
mapping data to their own systems and sufficient time would be needed by these partners
to complete that process once the schema(s) is released.

Release of final XML schema - (Version X) - Schema has undergone conformance review
and is ready for posting to the Exchange Network website for access by all Exchange
Network Partners fwww.exchangenetwork.net.).

National database available for testing - National database is ready for testing to
exchange data in a format that complies with agreed upon standards and rules. For
example, the database can support testing the receipt and processing of XML instance
documents or a converted format as part of the exchange process.

Availability of EPA node services for testing - IIPA Node services include all central
services the program offices need or choose that enable a more efficient data exchange
among exchange partners. Examples include XML validation (Schema and Schematron),
Network Authentication and Authorization Service (NAAS), XML Gateway services, and the
Universal Description and Discovery Integration tool.

Readiness for complete end-to-end testing by Exchange Network partners - At this
stage, the XML schema(s) at a minimum are ready for testing by Network Partners and the
National Database and EPA Node services are available for testing. In addition, all EPA
accounts have been established for testing (e.g. privileges to NAAS and authorization to the
database)

Flow Configuration Document completed or updated - Flow Configuration Documents
identify and standardize the minimum information needed by trading partners to execute
a data exchange. They describe the technical configuration and business processes used
to exchange data between trading partners.

System ready to receive or publish - This status indicates that a sufficient amount of
end-to- end testing has occurred and all problems have been addressed, the XML
schema(s) has been released, supporting documentation has been finalized, all
production readiness reviews have been completed, the Program Office has received
approval (if applicable) from the National Computing Center for deploying new code to
production, and the appropriate parties (e.g. helpdesks) have been notified of release and

A-2

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have the necessary tools to support Exchange Network Partners' inquiries.

II. Data Exchanges

This section of Appendix A describes the individual data exchanges (and related Network
activities) for which EPA is soliciting FY 2015 Exchange Network/E-Enterprise grant
applications. It is organized by media and includes both Phase 1 and Phase 2 data
exchanges and related activities. As the Exchange Network community is actively engaged
in Phase 2, EPA has adjusted priorities for this grant solicitation to support those
activities and dataflows. This includes placing a higher (Tier 1) priority on data publishing
and access applications and tools, virtual sharing, virtual node implementation support,
shared CROMERR services and components, and implementation of new and innovative
dataflows.

Each individual data exchange is described below and includes additional activities
applicants should consider for their proposals. Those activities must align with EPA's
programmatic priorities in Section I-E and will be scored according lo the tiering in that
section.

The data exchange descriptions highlight programmatic milestones and potential activities
for each exchange during the FY 2015-20L8 timeframe. Applicants can propose to
implement one or more ofthese data exchanges, which are organized by media:

Air

Air Quality System (AQS)

Emission Inventory System (MIS)
Radon

,A-5

,A-6

,A-7

Enforcement and Compliance

Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS).

ICIS-NPDES Data Publishing

Network Discharge Monitoring Reports (NetDMR)
Electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI)

A-16

A-ll

A-14

,A-9

Waste

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information System (RCRAInfo)
Open Dump

A-19

A-20

Water

eBeaches

A-21

A-3

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Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)	A-22

Underground Injection Control (UIC) Database	A-24

Water Quality Exchange (WQX)	A-26

Assessment TMDL Tracking & ImplementatioN System (ATTAINS)	A-28

Other Data Exchanges

Facility Registry System (FRS)	A-31

Toxics Release Inventory System (TRIS)	A-33

Enabling Geospatial Data Exchange	A-35

A-4

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Air Quality System
(AQS)

Description:

AQS is the official EPA repository of ambient air quality monitoring data, and related location
and measurement metadata, collected by state, tribal, and local governments. It is used for
regulatory purposes to determine compliance with the Clean Air Act, and for scientific and
health effects research. Presently the state, local, and tribal agencies are submitting data to
AQS using version 2.2a of the AQS flow. This flow was updated in 2012 to support automated
processing of submitted data, but no changes were made to the AQS XML schema.

40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A defines a numlx-r of monitoring QA/QC assessments that do
not map cleanly into the data elements of AQS or the version 2.2a XML schema. In 2014,
EPA redesigned how AQS accepts, processes, and reports QA/QC data. Additionally,
EPA updated the monitor metadata utilized by AQS to more closely reflect 40 CFR Part 58
requirements. To incorporate these changes, the AQS flat file transaction format was
revised and the AQS XML schema was updated lo version 3.0. The changes support the
additional data elements and outdated elements were dropped.

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestone

Target
Completion

EPAfinalization ol'inlbrniation content additions I'orXML
schema

Complete

Draft AQS XML Schema v.3.0

Complete

Final AQS XML Schema v.3.0

Complete

Update to AQS Flow Configuration Document v.3.0

Complete

Availability of AQS staging environment for testing v.3.0

Complete

Availability of AQS production system for v.3.0 submissions

09/30/2014

All submitters must use the revised flat file format or XML Schema v3.0 to submit data
collected in 2015 and beyond. That is, data measured in 2014 but reported in 2015 maybe
in the current formats, but data collected (e.g., with a sample/measurement date) in 2015
must be in the new formal. (Tier 2)

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants

1. Upgrade of reporting agency's IT infrastructure to allow end-to-end use of XML
format for ambient air quality monitoring data. (Tier 2)

2. Development of re-useable tools for data quality screening of ambient air quality
measurement data (i.e. identification of statistical outliers and anomalies, collect
audit and performance assessment (QA/QC) data from independent agencies and
compare it to / merge it with your sample data, etc.) (Tier 2)

Note: All activities are eligible for funding provided that the project proposal
includes a commitment to deploy the dataflow into production.

A-5

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Emission Inventory System (EIS)

Description:

The Emissions Inventory System (EIS) is the system for storing all current and historical
emissions inventory data. It will be used to receive and store emissions data and generate
annual and triennial National Emission Inventory beginning with the 2008 NEI.

The National Emissions Inventory (NEI) is EPA's compilation of estimates of air pollutants
discharged on an annual basis and their sources. EPA uses the NEI to track emissions
trends over time, develop regional pollutant reduction strategies, set and analyze
regulations, perform air toxics risk assessments including inhalation risks and multi-
pathway exposure, model air pollutant dispersion and deposition, and measure
environmental performance as required by the Government Performance and Results Act.

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

EIS reporting will make use of a schema thai is expected to shorten the length of time
required to meet reporting deadlines, and reduce burden on slate, local and tribal
agencies through the use of the Consolidated Emission Reporting schema (CIIRS). The CERS
facilitates the reporting of data from stale/local/tribal agencies-to-EPA for the NEI.
Although all states are reporting to l-IS through the Exchange Network, most regional and
local air pollution control authorities are not because they are not eligible for Exchange
Network/E-Enterprise grants. Therefore, l-PA suggests that states partner with local
governments delegated to report to EIS to transition reporting from legacy methods to the
Exchange Network, (Tier 2)

In addition to the submission of emissions data to the EIS, grant applicants may also apply
for funds to:

1.	Improve access to environmental information for environmental program staff,
managers, the public and other stakeholders.

2.	Support the sharing ol'data among EN partners, especially cross-state, cross-tribal, or
state-tribal data exchanges

3.	Support the transition from locally installed nodes to the EPA hosted Virtual Node.

A-6

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Radon Data Exchange

Description:

Radon remains a leading cause of cancer. EPA, states, tribes and several national and regional
consortia all collect radon data. These programs have differing data needs, reporting
requirements, thresholds, calculation protocols and approaches to validation and
verification of data.

Despite these differences, each of these data collodions share the common purpose of
improved tracking and understanding of radon exposure. Data are information and
information is the programmatic foundation for effective radon risk reduction. The people
leading these programs need access to data thai are reliable, consistent, flexible and
comparable across programs. While a significant amount of radon data exists today, there
are currently no systems that allow for the examination of data from multiple sources or to
draw larger conclusions about radon at a regional or national level. Exchange Network
partners have an opportunity to use the Network to improve access to radon data and
promote better management of exposure risks.

The New Jersey Department of I jivironmenlal Quality lias developed an XML schema and a
set of Web services for publishing radon data that are securely consumed by their state's
Health Department. This model can be replicated in other slates using the resources that
New Jersey created. More information on these resources, including the XML schema and
Flow Configuration Document, is available at http://www.exchangenetwork.net/data-
exchange/radon/.

The majority of the data included in NJ's database are similar to that identified as "core radon
data elements" by the Kadon State Data Exchange workgroup. EPA is interested in working
with other radon stakeholders through this work group to build the capacity to share radon
data via Web services. Visit http://www.radonleaders.org/exchange/ for more information
about the Kadon State Data Exchange workgroup.

Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

• Participate in the Kadon State Data Exchange Work Group to discuss radon data
exchange needs and collaboratively coordinate on implementing standardized Web
services.

• Evaluate the Radon XML schema previously created by the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Quality.

• Map radon data to the Radon XML schema and build the capacity to generate and
share those XML files via Network Web services.

• Implement Exchange Network Web services that make radon test data available to
other stakeholders and the public as appropriate.

These activities are eligible for funding as Tier 1 priorities provided that the proposal

A-7

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commits to implementing the Web services that provide access to Radon data.

A-8

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ICIS

Integrated Compliance Information System

Description:

ICIS, the modernized version of the Permit Compliance System (PCS) and the Air Facility
System (AFS), supports NPDES wastewater discharge program functions (e.g., permitting,
compliance monitoring, enforcement, and special regulatory programs), as well as air
stationary source compliance and enforcement data. ICIS accepts XML-formatted
submissions of NPDES and air data from States, Tribes and local
environmental agencies via the Exchange Network. The ICIS exchange will be
completed with the release of the ICIS-Air I-locIronic Data Transfer (EDT)
implementation of the system in October 2014.

The ICIS electronic submission implementation was accomplished in four parts:

•	Part 1: Batch DMR for NPDES Hybrid States. As of May 200H, Hybrid States were able
to electronically transfer (batch) their DMR data from their stale system to ICIS—
NPDES and directly enter all of their non-PMR NPPMS data into 1CIS-NPPES via the
ICIS Web screens. Hybrid states typically use ICIS-NPDES to directly manage their
NPDES program.

•	Part 2: NetPMR. As of June 2009, ICIS-NPDES hecame capable of receiving DMRs
(via CDX) from facilities that had electronically signed and submitted them using
NetDMR. The NetPMR tool was developed pursuant to an Exchange Network grant
managed by Texas with the participation of 11 other states, OEI and OECA. The
DMR XML schema components developed in Part 1: Batch DMR for Hybrid States
formed the basis lor the NetPMR flow. NetPMR currently supports more than 14
States and H EPA Regions.

•	Part 3: Full Batch N P I) M S States. As of Pecember 2012, Full Batch
states that have their own systems to manage the NPPES program were able to
electronically transfer (batch) some or all of their NPPES data from their state
systems via CPX to 1CIS-NPPES.

•	Part 4: Air MPT Delegated Agencies. State, tribe and local agencies that have
their own systems to manage the air program were able to electronically transfer
some or all of their air compliance data from their own systems via CPX to ICIS-Air.

Activities to be Considered by Grant Applicants:

ICIS grant applicants should consider the following activities among their opportunities
for obtaining grant funding:

•	Extract and convert the data from State NPPES and air systems into the XML
format needed to submit data to ICIS electronically.

•	Modify state systems to accommodate the data requirements for ICIS-NPPES and

A-9

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ICIS-Air.

• Install and configure ICIS-NPDES and ICIS-Air plug-ins available on the Exchange
Network.

ICIS-Air activities are eligible for funding as Tier 1 priorities. ICIS-NPDES activities are
eligible for funding as Tier 2 priorities. Proposals for both are eligible for funding provided
that the proposal commits to putting a new data family flow into production.

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ICIS Data Publishing

Description:

ICIS supports NPDES wastewater discharge program functions (e.g., permitting,
compliance monitoring, enforcement, and special regulatory program), as well as Air
stationary source compliance and enforcement data. ICIS accepts XML-formatted
submissions of NPDES and Air data from states, tribes and local environmental agencies
via the Exchange Network. The ICIS exchange will be completed with the final release
oftheAir Electronic Data Transfer (EDT) implementation of ICIS-Air in October
2014.

States hosting their own NPDES and Air systems may have requirements to have their
data in ICIS published back to them so lliey can consume it lor various purposes,
including performing quality assurance. In addition, states hosting their own electronic
DMR (eDMR) systems may need to have ICIS limit data published back to them to
derive anticipated DMRs or ICIS reference code table data that has been recently
changed. They could then consume this data for accurate mapping in subsequent data
submissions to ICIS.

The ICIS data publishing How enables states to extract new and changed reference table
data as well as new and changed NPDI'S and Air data contained in EPA's ICIS system.
OECA's planned milestones in enabling data access and publishing are shown below.

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestone

Target
Completion

Data Access Integrated Project Team (IPT) initiated.

Completed

Production release of Web services to extract recently
changed data from seven ICIS reference tables.

Completed

Draft release of Web services to extract recently changed
state data from basic permit, pretreatment permit, limit,
discharge monitoring report (DMR), narrative condition,
compliance schedule, compliance monitoring, and
enforcement action ICIS-NPDES data families.

Completed

Pilot states test draft Web services to extract recently
changed state data from basic permit, pretreatment permit,
limit, discharge monitoring report (DMR), narrative
condition, compliance schedule, compliance monitoring, and
enforcement action data.

Completed

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Production release of Web services to extract recently
changed state data from basic permit, pretreatment permit,
limit, discharge monitoring report (DMR), narrative
condition, compliance schedule, compliance monitoring, and
enforcement action ICIS-NPDES data families.

Completed

Draft release of Web services to extract recently changed
state data from general permit, permit component,
unpermitted facility, tracking event, violation and program
report ICIS-NPDES data families.

August 2014

Pilot states test draft Web services to extract recently
changed state data from general permit, permit component,
unpermitted facility, tracking event, violation and program
report data.

September 2014

Production release of Web services to extract recently
changed state data from general permit, permit component,
unpermitted facility, tracking event, violation and program
report ICIS-NPDES data families.

October 2014

Draft release of Web services to extract recently changed
State, Tribal and Local Agency Air compliance and
enforcement data from ICIS-Air data families.

January 2015

Pilot states test draft Web services to extract recently
changed State, Tribal and Local Agency Air compliance and
enforcement data.

March 2015

Production release of Web services to extract recently
changed State, Tribal and Local Agency Air compliance and
enforcement data from ICIS-Air data families.

May 2015

Activities to be Considered by Grant Applicants:

ICIS data publishing grant applicants should consider the following activities among
their opportunities for obtaining grant funding:

•	Review the XML schema files developed under the IPT work and assist the IPT
with the testing of the schema files.

•	Develop requirements and design for the capability of invoking the Web services
to extract data out of ICIS via CDX and import the data to the State, Tribal or Local

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Agency database.

•	Develop and implement data mappings and the capability of invoking the Web
services to extract data out of ICIS via CDX and import the data to the State, Tribal
or Local database.

•	Create the ability on the stateside to consume ICIS reference code table data and
other NPDES or Air data in XML format and use it for their individual State, Tribal
or Local needs.

•	Create the ability on the state side to consume ICIS-NPDES limit data for use in
deriving anticipated DMRs in XML format into their individual state eDMR systems.

These activities when proposed for ICIS-Air are eligible lor funding as Tier 1 priorities
provided that the proposal commits to putting the services that consume ICIS data into
production. When proposed for ICIS-NPDES are eligible as Tier 2 priorities.

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NetDMR Electronic Reporting Tool

Description:

Electronic transmission of discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) allows NPDES
permitting authorities to get out of the business of printing and mailing hard copy paper
DMR forms to thousands of facilities, sorting the paper forms received, keypunching
results by hand, and filing the paper forms. The National Installation of NetDMR has
been developed collaboratively among a group of states [led by Texas), OECA and OEI to
be a common, centrally-hosted electronic DMR application closely integrated with EPA's
ICIS-NPDES system. The Central Data Exchange (CI)X) is used for the exchange of data
between NetDMR and ICIS-NPDES.

Version 1.0 of the National Installation of NetDMR was released lor use by permittees of
select pilot states and EPA Regions in June 2009. Version 1.5 of NetDMR, released in
January of 2013, now supports more than fourteen states and eight EPA Regions, and
additional instances can be created.

States that have specific business reasons why an instance within the National
Installation of NetDMR cannot meet their programmatic requirements may wish to
develop and deploy an alternative electronic DMR (el)MR) system within their state
environment. State-hosted eDMR systems can he used to ensure timely and accurate
reporting of DMRs by permittees to the regulatory authority and EPA's ICIS-NPDES
system, using CDX and the I'xchange Network.

Activities to be Considered by the Grant Applicants:

The 20 IS Exchange Network grant process will support efforts by states, in consultation
with their I'PA Regions, to: pilot test and launch their instances within the National
Installation of NetDMR (Area 1); or develop, test, and implement their own eDMR system
(Area 2).

Area 1 - Testinij and Implementation of State Instance within NetDMR National
Installation

Effective implementation includes development of all the business processes to move from
a paper-based system to an electronic system, with the understanding that a paper-
based system may need to be maintained for several years until all permittees are
converted to the electronic system. Applicants could describe the efforts needed by the
state to effectively test and launch the use of their instance within the National Installation
of NetDMR, and discuss their adoption rate goals and milestones. Applications could also
assist states in converting from paper to electronic processes, ensuring that Subscriber
Agreements are properly handled according to CROMERR requirements, and ensuring that
permit limits are up to date in ICIS-NPDES. Applicants could identify specific production
implementation dates that the state prefers for their implementation within the National
Installation of NetDMR.

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Area 2 - Development, Testing and Implementation of eDMR System within a State
Environment

Some states have specific business reasons why an instance within the National Installation
of NetDMR cannot meet their programmatic requirements; thus they need an alternative
eDMR system. For states with these requirements, this area can provide support for
technical activities that lead to successful implementation of an eDMR system within
the state environment. In these cases, applicants might explain why it is advantageous to
develop and deploy a stand-alone system (which requires state operation and
maintenance). Applicants could discuss costs and milestones associated with deploying
and testing the application to ensure it works properly and sends required data to ICIS-
NPDES using the approved schema and methodology.

Note: Under either area the grantee could indicate whether the state plans to mandate
electronic submission of DMRs for permits that arc renewed after the project is completed.
Additionally, these activities are eligible for funding as Tier 2 priorities provided that the
project proposal commits to deploying the NetDMR instance or the eDMR system into
production.

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Electronic Reporting of Notices of Intent (eNOI)
and Special Regulatory Program Reports

Description:

Providing a means for members of the regulated community to submit NPDES data to EPA
and states electronically by filling out an online Notice of Intent (NOI) form or special
regulatory program report online allows state permitting authorities to transition away
from entering thousands of permits and reports by hand and storing paper forms.

OECA is in the process of promulgating an Electronic Reporting Rule (NPDES eReporting
Rule) that proposes to make the regulated community's electronic reporting of NPDES
data mandatory. In preparation, OECA has developed a national electronic reporting tool
called the NPDES e-Reporting Tool (NeT) for the regulated community to use
in filing electronic NOIs. NeT is designed to capture this data and populate the ICIS-NPDES
system with general permit covered facility permits and their associated limit data.
Ultimately, the tool may include the ability to electronically capture and store CAFO,
biosolid, CSO event, annual pretreatment, SSO event, industrial user compliance, and
MS4 storm water program report information from the regulated community.

NeT creates XML files and submits them to ICIS-NPDES based upon the schema developed
under the ICIS-NPDES Full Batch Integrated Project Team (IPT). CROMERR compliant
Central Data Exchange (CDX) services are used lor NeT's user registration process,
handling of user account information, digital signature, copy of record (COR) storage, and
submission of data to ICIS-NPDES through the Exchange Network. States will be able to
host their own NOI forms in EPA's NeT for electronic reporting and retrieve their eNOI
form data from CDX to save on their development, hosting, and maintenance costs.

In addition, states may want to consider creating and hostingtheir own NPDES eReporting
tools for their regulated community to use. State-hosted NPDES eReporting systems
developed under this effort must ensure timely and accurate data from the regulated
community are transferred to EPA's ICIS-NPDES system using CDX and the Exchange
Network in an XML formal that matches the existing schema developed under the ICIS-
NPDES Full Batch IPT.

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestone

Target
Completion

Production release of NeT eReporting tool to support EPA Region
6's Gulf of Mexico master general permit NOIs for Offshore Oil
Drillers

Completed

Production release of Office of Water Regional Storm Water Multi-
Sector General Permit NOI and annual report forms within NeT

October 2014

Proposed deadline* for electronic reporting of all other state NOIs
and special regulatory program report data to EPA

June 2016

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* Note: deadline is included within EPA's proposed NPDES eReporting Rule and is
subject to change depending on final promulgation of the Rule.

Activities to be Considered by the Grant Applicants:

The 2015 Exchange Network grant process could support efforts by states, in consultation
with their EPA Regions, to: pilot test and launch their electronic NOI and special regulatory
report forms and processes within OECA's NeT electronic reporting tool (Area 1); develop,
test, and implement their own NOI and program report electronic reporting system (Area
2); or modify their existing electronic reporting system to align with forthcoming
requirements of the proposed NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule (Area 3).

Area 1 - Test and Implementation of State Forms and Business Processes within OECA's
NPDES e-Reporting Tool (NeT)

Effective implementation often requires development of all the business processes to
move from a paper-based system to an electronic system, with the understanding that a
paper-based system will need to be maintained lor several years until all permittees are
converted to the electronic system. Applicants could describe the efforts needed by the
state to effectively define business process flows, test and launch the use of their notices
of intent and program reports within NeT, and discuss their adoption rate goals and
milestones. Applicants could also assist in converting from paper to electronic processes,
ensuring that Subscriber Agreements are properly handled according to CROMERR
requirements, and ensuring that permit limits are up to date in ICIS-NPDES. Applicants
could identify specific production implementation dates that the state prefers for their
implementation within NeT.

Area 2 - Development, Testing and Implementation of a NPDES Electronic Reporting
System within a State luivironment

Some states have specific business reasons why hosting their general permit NOI forms
within OI-CA's NeT tool cannot meet their programmatic requirements; thus they need an
alternative eReporting system. l7or states with more specific state requirements, this
area can provide support for technical activities that lead to successful implementation of
an NOI and special regulatory program report eReporting system within the state
environment. In these cases, applicants might explain why it is advantageous to develop
and deploy their own system (which requires state operation and maintenance).
Applicants could discuss costs and milestones associated with deploying and testing the
application to ensure it works properly and sends required data to ICIS-NPDES using the
approved schema and methodology.

Area 3 - Upgrade of State System to Meet Requirements of EPA's NPDES Electronic
Reporting Rule

This area provides support for states to modify their state systems to ensure that they can
capture, store, and transmit to EPA any new data that will become required under Appendix

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A of 40 CFR 127 when the proposed NPDES eReporting Rule becomes final. Applicants could
discuss the costs and milestones associated with upgrading their state system to ensure it
can send the required data to ICIS-NPDES using the approved schema and methodology.
Activities under areas 1 and 2 are eligible for funding as Tier 1 priorities, provided that the
applicant proposes to deploy the project's output (e.g., system, business process). Activities
under area 3 are eligible for funding as a Tier 2 priority, provided that the applicant complete
and deploys the upgrade.

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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Information
(RCRAInfo)

Description:

RCRAInfo is a national, Web-based system which provides data entry, data
management, and data reporting functions used to support the implementation and
oversight of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and the
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1904 as administered by EPA
(through its Regions) and authorized States. KCKAInlo identifies and categorizes
hazardous waste handlers, and includes high quality information about regulated
activities, permit/closure status, compliance willi I'ederal and State regulations, and
cleanup activities. Only those that are a delegated authority under RCRA Subtitle C can
submit data to RCRAInfo, however, non-delegated states or tribes can receive data
from RCRAInfo via RCRAInfo outbound services. EPA encourages recipients to evaluate
and explore the use of outbound Web services and to partner with EPA to identify
outbound service needs and requirements. Additionally, States that are currently
performing double-data entry should seek to use either RCRAInfo inbound or outbound
services to eliminate that double- data entry.

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestone

Target
Completion

User Specified Outbound Services

As requested

Supportive Outbound Services

As requested

RCRAInfo upgrade/enhancements including schema
revision

12/2015

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants

Participants are encouraged to develop innovative ways for interacting with RCRAInfo
Data including mobile application to be used "in the field."

Note: This activity is eligible for funding as a Tier 1 activity provided that the project
plan commits to deploying a production application that consumes RCRAInfo outbound
services

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Open Dump Data Exchange

Description:

The Open Dump problem facing tribes is immense and badly in need of inventorying the
universe of the problem. The EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR)
and the DOI-Indian Health Service (IHS) all need updated and timely information on Open
Dumps on Indian Country. The Exchange Network is in a unique position to assist and
promote the timely, accurate sharing of key information on Open Dumps to a vast set of
partners. This is a data set that has even OMB's attention. Development of specific data
standards might be needed. Development or enhancement of the Fac ID 3.0 schema might fit
the data exchange needs of this dataflow. However, a new schema might be necessary for the
dataflow. Tribes are encouraged to develop the data requirements that will meet ORCR and
IHS data needs and develop the appropriate schema and flow configuration to meet these
data needs.

Milestones:

•	Test existing Schema found at
exchange / open-dump-data-exchange /

•	Develop Web services

•	Complete end to end testing by tribes with

•	Flow configuration document completed

•	Convene an IPT on the dataflow

•	Mentor other tribes on the dataflow

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

Integrated Project Team involvement is encouraged to assist in building out the schema for
Open Dumps. Defining, vetting and building a comprehensive standard set of Web Services
for Open Dump dataflow would advance the Network and serve as a model for other data
service publishing. Documenting the dataflow is needed.

Note: This activity is eligible for funding as a Tier 1 activity provided that the project plan
commits to putting the Open Dump data exchange into production.

http://www.exchangenetwork.net/data-
CDX

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eBeaches

Description:

eBeaches is the electronic data transmission system that allows EPA to securely
receive and display state beach water quality and swimming advisory data two hours after
state and local agencies send the data. eBeaches supports the Beaches Environmental
Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act requirement to collect, store, and display
beach public right-to-know pollution occurrence data. States should submit spatial
representations of the beaches reported in the Beach Notification (PRAWN) and
monitoring stations in Beach Monitoring (WQX) submissions using the NHDEvent dataflow.

Activities and Suggestions to be considered by Grant Applicants:

Applicants should consider the following steps prior to data submissions.

•	Read all support documentation at
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/grants/datausers/index.htm
(This activity is not eligible for funding)

•	Consider publishing Beach closure data in real time, even though the EPA currently
updates data on a two-hour cycle, (tier 2)

•	Map systems to the approved national XML schemas.
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/communities-of-interest/water/ fTier 2*)

•	Implement NHDEvent dataflow for BEACON beach locations to be geo-referenced to
the NHD. Link beach locations consistent with the NHD and the Geospatial One Stop
Hydrography Standard. (Tier 2*)

•	Verify in WQX/STORET organization name (org_id) to sample station (stationjd) to
beach name (project _id aka beachjd and national project id (EPABEACH)
relationship/links to ensure correct stations are linked to corresponding beach. (Tier
2*)

•	Check with other internal state offices for existing Node capability and EPA virtual
node access before developing Node capability for each beach dataflow. (This
activity is not eligible for funding)

•	Validate XML instance documents prior to submission via CDX (node or ENSC). (Tier
2*)

•	Participate in biweekly/monthly Beach conference calls, (this activity is not eligible
for funding)

*Applications will be scored as Tier 2 proposals provided that this is a new dataflow for the
applicant and that the project proposal commits to deploying the eBeaches dataflow into
production.

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Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)

Description:

SDWIS State is an EPA-provided system designed to assist primacy agencies in managing
their Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA). Currently, SDWA data flows use XML files to exchange data between the Primacy
Agency's SDWIS State system (or other PWSS program management system) and EPA for
quarterly reporting and between other stakeholders, such as laboratories and other state
agency systems and state agencies. EPA is in the process of replacing SDWIS State with a new
system, SDWIS Primacy Agency (or "SDWIS Prime)4. EPA plans to replace SDWIS State with
SDWIS Prime by May 31, 2015.

Whereas SDWIS State relied on XML (and other format) files for data transfer, SDWIS Prime
will leverage secure, ReSTful Web services for data exchange. Many primacy agencies have
other, external business systems that leverage Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) for
implementing data exchanges with SDWIS State. As SDWIS Prime will be housed in a secure
"cloud" environment accessible from the web, these ODBC connections are insecure and
should be replaced by calls to secure Web services. At this time, the SDWIS Prime project
team has identified a number of candidate Web services and development is underway.

In addition, the SDWIS Prime project team is planning the release of a Compliance
Monitoring Data Portal (CMDP) January 31, 2015. CMDP will be accessible from the
Exchange Network and will be a single, authoritative, CROMERR compliant collection site for
laboratory samples data and public water system information updates and operating status
reports. CMDP will "route" submissions to the appropriate primacy agency system or to
SDWIS Prime for further action. More details of how the CMDP will operate will be available
in October-November 2014.

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

Tier 1 Activities:

Collaborative Opportunity: partnership application consisting of multiple state, territorial
and tribal partners working to share drinking water data with and between other state,
tribal, territorial, and federal agencies/organizations using ReSTful Web services that

4 In July 2013, the SDWIS NextGen system was renamed to SDWIS Primacy Agency, or SDWIS Prime. The reason
for the name change is to emphasize that this new system is specifically designed for the drinking water primacy
agencies.

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consume SDWIS Prime data.

Adding functionality to the Compliance Monitoring Data Portal (CMDP - anticipated first
release date mid-FY 2015) to address additional features requested by states, submitting
laboratories, and utilities. Initial CMDP development is funded by an earlier EN grant
awarded to a group of states. However, the original estimate for developing the portal was
based on a functional scope that did not include all of the mandatory features identified by
the Data Portal Work Group. The current level of EN funding is insufficient to deliver a portal
delivering the mandatory features.

Tier 2 Activities:

Development of Web services that consume SDWIS Prime data for use with external
primacy agency business systems. Examples of external primacy agency business systems
include systems used to manage water system engineering plan reviews, operator
certifications, water system permitting and lee collection, and such.

Modification of primacy agency external business systems that interact with SDWIS
Prime to replace ODBC and similar connections used with SDWIS State and other systems
with Web service calls.

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Underground Injection Control (UIC) Database

Description:

EPA launched new a UIC national database in Dec 2007 and immediately began
accepting data through EPA's Exchange Network. The UIC database is designed to provide
high quality, consistent, and complete information to support EPA's objective to manage
and oversee the national and regional delegated program. Data fields are at the well level,
with fields for UIC inventory (linked to FRS), permits, geospatial
coordinates, inspections, mechanical integrity, violations, and enforcement
actions.

As of April 2014, 30 of the 69 state and regional UIC programs had successfully
submitted data to the UIC database, including 15 primacy agencies that had fully
transitioned to electronic reporting, and with an additional 19 programs
submitting a one-time inventory dataset.

A revised XML document (Version 2.0) was released in 2010 under the same UIC data
model to improve performance. After UIC programs complete mapping their data
to the UIC Database XML schema they are expected to start submitting data twice
annually between April 1, 2015 and July 1, 2015 and Oct 1, 2015 and November 15,
2015.

Each state is expected to transition from existing reporting to a biannual submission
(reduced from quarterly) to the UIC database once it meets the data quality and
completeness requirements.

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestone

Target
Completion

Release revised XML Schema - (Version 2.0)

Completed

Revised flow configuration document, other documentation
completed

Completed

Other: Successful mapping, conversion of state data
consistent

with EPA mapping instructions, and node to node submission

2015

Other: Validation of data received in EPA's database after
each biannual submission to address QA/QC data issues and
to continue until transition to e-reporting, transition to e-
reporting are met.

Ongoing

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Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants

•	EPA will support activities to build local data systems for Class V state programs
with no effective existing database, to support efficient data transfer to EPA's
database. EPA has existing data templates and data transfer tools available. (Tier

2)

•	In order to transition to electronic reporting through the Exchange Network, EPA

requests UIC applicants to address the resolution of QA/QC issues raised during
biannual data submission cycles. (Tier 2)

Note: These activities are eligible for funding provided that the proposal commits to putting
the UIC data flow into production, transitions the data flow to the virtual node and places into
production, and/or puts publishing/data availability applications or Web pages into
production.

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Water Quality
Exchange (WQX)

Description:

Water Quality eXchange (WQX) defines the framework by which EPA
compiles water quality monitoring data (physical, chemical, biological, habitat,
metrics, and index) into the STOrage and RETrieval (STORET) Data Warehouse
fhttp://www.epa.gov/storet/dw home.htmP. Data from multi-jurisdictional
entities (including State and Tribal agencies) are shared with EPA via the WQX
schema and made available from STORET at a national level via a seamless
collection of monitoring data. For more information about WQX, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/storet/wqx/index.html or
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/exchanges/water/wqx.htm.

In addition, data from STORET can be queried using the EPA and USGS co-
hosted Water Quality Portal http:/ / water quality data.us.

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestone

Target
Completion

System readiness to receive test and production data to EPA WQX v3.0. The new
v3.0 will include minor field updates, (note WQX vl.O, 2.0, and 2.1 will still be
accepted)

Spring 2015

Develop biological web services to be served out of the Water Quality Portal

Summer 2014

Develop habitat, metrics and index web services to be served out of the Water
Quality Portal

Summer 2015

** The STORET Warehouse web mapping services are available at the following
http://www.epa.gov/waters/geoservices/docs/waters mapping services,
html. Note that two separate services exist for STORET: STORET NAD83
and STORET WMERC.

IJRL:

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

•	Utilize the most recent version of the WQX schema to flow physical, chemical,
biological, habitat, metric and index monitoring data. The new WQX v3.0 will include
minor field updates. All earlier WQX versions (vl.O, v2.0, v2.1) will still be accepted.
(Tier 2)

•	Develop applications that use EPA STORET Warehouse or Water Quality
Portal web services (data and spatial) for data integration and analysis
(e.g., establish links to water impairment, water permit facilities,
watershed resource planning). (Tier 1)

•	Adopt and encourage all applicable data standards for data submission and
sharing. (Tier 2)

•	Identify innovative ways for sharing monitoring data (Tier 1), such as:

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o Expand within-state data partners flowing data (e.g. other
agencies or watershed groups) including ambient monitoring,
cyclic/periodic/event monitoring, surveys, and utilities/facilities
o Encourage capacity with small data providers through WQX and WQX Web
o Identify methods and approaches to share continuous monitoring data
among Exchange Network community

o Explore ways to make water data discoverable through development of
publishing services (e.g. leveraging Virtual Node or Virtual Node related
plans). (Tier 1)

•	Encourage the development of common catalogue services that provide
standard water quality data discovery and publishing to the Exchange
Network community. (Tier 2)

•	Build tools using Exchange Network application programming interfaces
(API) technologies, services and specifications that integrate water quality
data from various sources [e.g. Water Quality Portaklata) to present a
common view of water quality data. (Tier 1)

•	Begin linking station locations consistent with the Nlll) and the
Geospatial One Stop Hydrography Standard. Implement NIlDI'vent data
flow for STORET/WQX monitoring locations that have been geo-referenced
to the NHD. (Tier 2)

*EIigibIe for funding as a Tier 2 priority (for partners implementing new flows or
upgrading existing flows), provided that the project proposal commits to deploying the new
(or upgraded) flow into production.

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Assessment TMDL Tracking & ImplementatioN System (ATTAINS) (Integrated

Reporting (303(d)/305(b))

Description:

The Assessment TMDL Tracking And Implementation System (ATTAINS) includes state-
reported information, required under Clean Water Act (CWA) Sections 303(d) and 305(b),
regarding state assessment of the support of designated uses in assessed waters, identified
causes and sources of impairment, identified impaired waters including their location, and
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) status. EPA and the states invest a significant amount
of resources in meeting these requirements using a combination of paper and electronic
submissions. In the most recent ICR for the 303(d)/305(b) program, it is estimated that
the state burden alone is $193 million a year.

ATTAINS allows EPA to streamline and improve the Report to Congress required under
CWA Section 305(b) by providing electronic access to the national and state summaries
and the detailed waterbody-specific assessment status reported by states. Under EPA's
new Water Quality Framework5, one activity being pursued is a redesign of ATTAINS. This
redesign will replace both the distributed Assessment Database (ADB) and the current
OWIR-ATT flow. The new ATTAINS will be a cloud-based application that states, tribes6,
and EPA can use to track water quality assessment decisions, TMDLs, priority areas, and
report on strategic measures. A goal of this redesign is to move the Integrated Reporting
process to a paperless process as envisioned by EPA's E-Enterprise initiative, and it is
envisioned that the Exchange Network will play a key role in managing the workflow from
state/tribal-submitted data to EPA for review and approval. This redesign will include a
new Exchange Network ATTAINS data flow that will both allow for the two-way exchange
of data between states and EPA, and will also allow for the publishing of IR data via web
services that will support the integrated vision of the Water Quality Framework. The new
ATTAINS data flow will include the ability for states/tribes to provide water quality
assessment information (including use support, causes, and sources), provide and receive
TMDL information, provide references to water quality monitoring location data that are

5	The Water Quality Framework (Framework) is a new way of thinking about how EPA's water quality data and information
systems can be better integrated to more effectively support water quality managers and meet program goals. The Framework will
streamline water quality assessment and reporting currently performed under ATTAINS, eliminate paper reporting and provide a
more complete picture of the nation's water quality. The Framework will start by focusing on better integrating three systems: 1)
EPA's water quality monitoring repository (STORET and the Water Quality Exchange [WQX]), 2) EPA's Assessment TMDL
Tracking and ImplementatioN System (ATTAINS), and 3) EPA's surface water mapping tool (the National Hydrography Dataset
Plus [NHDPlus]). Following the integration of these systems, further integration is possible with other water programs such as:
water quality permits, enforcement and compliance, source water protection, and nonpoint source projects.

6	Tribes can provide water quality assessments as part of their 305(b) reports. Tribes would be able to use this new ATTAINS
system for tracking and reporting this information.

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relevant to the water quality assessments (and submitted via the Water Quality Exchange
[WQX]), provide identification of state priorities, and provide activities that states are
performing that lead to water quality restoration.

The ATTAINS redesign will be completed in two phases: the first phase will be complete in
early FY 2016, and the second phase will be complete in FY 2017. EPA is working with
states to define the requirements for this new system, and is also developing a draft data
model and schema. EPA is looking for state and tribal partners to evaluate the new
ATTAINS data flow for the 2016 Integrated Reporting Cycle. States should also plan to
transition to the new ATTAINS by the 2018 Integrated Reporting Cycle. In order to make
this transition, states can either use the new Exchange Network ATTAINS data flow, or be
direct users of the new cloud-based ATTAINS data system (or some combination of the
two). The OWIR-ATT data flow will no longer be supported starting with the 2018
Integrated Reporting Cycle.

Because of the changes that will result from the ATTAINS redesign, lor the purposes of the
Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant program, the new ATTAINS data flow is considered
a new flow, and not an enhancement to the existing OWIR-ATT data flow. States currently
using the OWIR-ATT data flow are eligible lor receiving grants to provide data via the new
ATTAINS data flow.

EPA recommends that states do not pursue developing a OWIR-ATT data flow for the 2016
Integrated Reporting cycle or beyond.

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestone

Target

Completion

Date

ATTAINS vl.0~ draft schema available for review and input

Fall 2014

ATTAINS vl.O draft Now Configuration Document available for review and
input

Fall 2014

Launch Integrated Project Team (IPT) to evaluate system dataflow and
data elements (outreachj

Winter 2014

Final ATTAINS vl.O schema and Flow Configuration Document

Spring 2015

States pilot ATTAINS vl.O flow for the 2016 Integrated Reporting Cycle

Spring 2016

Compile lessons learned from 2016 Integrated Reporting Cycle

Summer-Winter
2016

7 As described in the text, the ATTAINS vl .0 schema is replacing the OWIR-ATT schema. EPA recommends that states do not
pursue developing OWIR-ATT data flows for the 2016 Integrated Reporting cycle or beyond.

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Compile updates for ATTAINS vl.O schema and Flow Configuration
Document

Winter 2016

Draft ATTAINS vl.l schema and Flow Configuration Document

Winter 2016

Final ATTAINS vl.l schema and Flow Configuration Document

Spring 2017

End support for OWIR-ATT data flow and schema

Summer 2017

Full transition to new ATTAINS Flow for the 2018 Integrated Reporting
Cycle

Spring 2018

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

•	Participate in the new ATTAINS data flow pilot in preparation for the 2016 Integrated
Reporting Cycle, including submitting data via the new ATTAINS data flow. For the
2016 Integrated Reporting Cycle, EPA will accept data in either the new ATTAINS vl.O
schema or the OWIR-ATT schema, but will only accept data in the ATTAINS schema for
the 2018 Integrated Reporting Cycle and beyond.

•	Identify innovative tools that may enhance the interaction between !¦ PA Regions and
states during the 303(d)/IR review and approval process.

•	Identify innovative ways to share geospalial information related to
Integrated Reporting data and utilize Web-based services and applications.

•	Identify innovative ways to integrate water quality monitoring and
assessment information, including developing innovative, reusable tools
that make use of web services to both discover and make use of water quality
monitoring data in a more automated way.

Note: All activities arc eligible for funding as Tier 1 priorities provided that the

project proposal commits to deploying the .1TTAINS dataflow into production.

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Facility Registry System
(FRS)

Description:

The Facility Registry System (FRS) is EPA's centrally managed database that integrates
facility data across nearly 90 EPA and other federal systems, as well as numerous state,
tribal and territorial databases, which provides access to the names, locations, associated
program IDs, industrial classification, corporate and contact affiliation, and other
information for facilities subject to environmental regulations and for other sites of
environmental interest. These integrated facility identification records allow EPA, its state
and tribal partners, Web application owners, and the public to access integrated
environmental information reported from and about facilities and sites. The Facility Id 3.0
(FACID 3.0) schema is now available and allows EN partners to publish and access facility
identification information more easily. FACID 2.3 is still available and supported for those
partners not yet ready to move to FACID 3.0.

Applicants that wish to take advantage of FRS Web services can find a listing of data
resources here: http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/fli/dataresources.html and should
periodically check RCS (see Appendix K for a description), a catalog of IT resources
from EPA and its state and tribal partners. Resources will be added to this location on a
regular basis.

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

•	Collaborative efforts among tribes to use the Facility Linkage Application (FLA) to
reconcile, correct and analyze data and assess data quality prior to projects requiring
the sharing of facility information. (Tier 2)

•	Encourage state and tribal programs to use the FRS Lookup service in order to
integrate data by FRS ID. (Tier 2)

o This activity can also include integrating other state/tribe/territory
programs in order to incorporate additional environmental interests (e.g.,
air, water, waste, etc.) for partner use.
o Partners that integrate their facility information can use this service to
develop tools for retrieving additional value-added data fields into their
facility records, including geocoded addresses, NAICS codes, applicable
census information, hydrologic unit codes (HUC), and congressional
boundary information,
o Partners that integrate their facility information can also use this service to
develop tools for retrieving FRS data for comparative analysis and
reconciliation.

•	Collaborative projects between EPA and partners on pilot projects that develop mobile
platforms or device agnostic services which leverage FRS APIs for field data collection,
review and correction of locations, subfacility features and facility details. Funds can
be used to support intergovernmental IPTs for scoping state inspection tools or other
mobile solutions which leverage FRS resources and support transactions with

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regulated entities. (Tier 1)

•	Burden reduction efforts that utilize comparative analysis and crosswalking of data
elements across programs relative to state/federal statutes and regulations and
relevant standards, identifying where data elements of a state diverge with those of
FRS, and where they can be harmonized or managed via shared taxonomies (Tier 1)

•	Use of the FRS Lookup service for front end data entry for the purposes of burden
reduction as well as supporting entry of data integrated by FRS ID. (Tier 1)

o This activity can also include integrating other state/tribe/territory
programs in order to incorporate additional environmental interests (e.g.,
air, water, waste, etc.) for partner use.
o Partners that integrate their facility information can use this service to
develop tools for retrieving additional value-added data fields into their
facility records, including geocodud addresses, NAICS codes, applicable
census information, hydrologic unit codes (HUC), and congressional
boundary information,
o Partners that integrate their facility information can also use this service to
develop tools for retrieving I'KS data for comparative analysis and
reconciliation.

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Toxics Release Inventory System
(TRIS)

Description:

The TRI System is an annual reporting requirement for industries with toxic chemical
releases (deadline is July 1st of every year). The TRI Data Exchange (TDX) provides for
simultaneous submission of TRI reports to both EPA and states via CDX. Benefits of the
TRI Data Exchange include:

•	For participating states and EPA, elimination of duplicative data entry, reduction of
state data reconciliation, and faster access to the data

•	For facilities, reduced burden through simultaneous submission to both EPA and the
state to meet EPCRA Section 313 reporting requirements

Exchange Network Program Office Activities

Milestones

Target

Completion Date

Load/Update XML Schema (if necessary) for FY 2014

11/30/2014

Continue to investigate use of additional Web services for further
application functionality

Ongoing

Test and Support operational Node-to-Node data exchanges
between

Ongoing

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

Work with the TRI Program to test XML schema on the state node to accept TRI data from
EPA.

•	States should develop procedures that enable the import of TRI data into their
systems. The procedures should support data in XML format received via their state
node.

•	Encourage environmental state program office employees at TDX states to take
advantage of the benefits offered by the TDX Viewer tool. More information about
the TDX Viewer can be accessed at http://www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventorv-tri-
program/tdx-viewer-information

•	Use the TRI XML schema to develop loading/converter tools to populate the state
database directly from incoming data sources via CDX.

•	Leverage existing tools and services developed by states already on the TRI Data
Exchange. A map displaying current TDX participants can be accessed at
http://www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/tri-data-exchange

•	Collaborate with states on the TRI Data Exchange and other states interested in
joining (i.e., participate in monthly TDX conference calls, develop sharable code)

Note: These activities are eligible for funding as Tier 2 priorities provided that the

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project proposal commits to deploying the outbound dataflow into production

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Enabling Geo spatial Data Exchange

Description:

Geospatial data represent features on Earth expressed as points, lines, or polygons and are
used in tandem with programmatic data, through geospatial information systems and
browsers, to support programmatic analysis using a geographic or place-based context.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16 "Coordination of Geographic
Information and Related Spatial Data Activities" identifies 16 critical geospatial data themes
that are essential components of the National Spatial data infrastructure (NSDI)
fhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a016/a016 rev.htmD. The A-16 geospatial
data theme categories encompass a wide variety of place-based data sets which are essential
to environmental analysis and decision-making. These include, but are not limited to data
related to biodiversity, geology, cultural resources, administrative units and boundaries,
parcels and cadastre, wetlands, watershed boundaries, soils, hydrography, imagery,
transportation, and elevation.

•	The Exchange Network can be particularly useful for publishing geospatial data when
any of the following conditions apply:

•	data needs to flow securely

•	large payloads of data, requiring automated machine-to-machine delivery

•	data needs to be delivered to multiple locations simultaneously (such as inspections,
enforcement, or facilities data collected in the field that ends in a flow to one or more
state programs, an EPA program office, and the Facility Registry Service)

•	the data is already accessible through a node

•	the data are needed immediately for disaster and emergency response

•	data is used to update and maintain large national datasets (see activity below)

Additional Activities to be considered by Grant Applicants:

•	Emergency Response and Recovery Data Flows: Development and rapid
deployment (anywhere, anytime) of secure geospatial Web services (e.g., Web feature
services), on the EN virtual node, to support joint State, local and/or Federal response
and recovery activities. Priority is given to data flows and schema for the critical
information requirements to emergency incidents that may involve significant
environmental impacts. Critical information includes accurate geographic
coordinates; current facility names, contact personnel and their phone numbers; and
rapid assessment or operational status for drinking water and wastewater treatment
plants, facilities subject to RMP (Remedial Project Manager) and/or FRP (Facility
Response Plan) requirements and facilities subject to SARA 311/312 Tier 1 reporting
requirements. Additionally, current geospatial data and operational status for an
area's utility infrastructure (e.g., electrical, gas, water, phone, etc.) and the areas
current local cadastral data (tax parcels with ownership). Grantees should engage
State, local and Federal responders, such as, EPA Data Team; to help plan, develop,
test and consume these Web services. (Tier 1)

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• Advanced Facility Monitoring and Enforcement: A comparison of continuous
monitoring data and/or advanced emissions monitoring data (for criteria or air toxics
pollutants) to permit data and/or human health risk thresholds. The project will
include GIS visualization and will indicate where monitoring exceeds permit limits or
risk thresholds. The information can be used to identify potential targets for
compliance evaluations and to identify trends in source categories and industry
sectors for Exchange Network partners. (Tier 1*)

• Collaborative pilot projects between EPA and partners on pilot projects that develop
mobile platforms or device agnostic services which leverage EPA APIs for field data
collection, review and correction of locations, subfacility features and facility details.
(Tierl)

*This activity is eligible for funding as a Tier 1 priority if the project proposal commits to
deploying into production an application or publishing service thai utilizes this capability.

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Appendix B

Cloud Transition Grants for EN Partners

The Exchange Network Grant Program encourages projects that promote efficiency through
the reuse of shared systems and resources. The Exchange Network governance established
an integrated project team (IPT) consisting of states, tribes and EPA to review the feasibility
of and to develop requirements for a cloud-based node. The IPT developed the Virtual Node
Guidance and Recommendations Document vl.O

fhttp://www.exchangenetwork.net/virtual-node-ipt/), which was used by EPA to create a
virtual node in the cloud. This virtual node was designed to help partners - particularly
small and medium-sized organizations - find even more cost efficient ways to manage their
nodes and decrease development and operational costs. Using this shared cloud node
platform helps partners eliminate the need for maintaining node servers and software
locally.

The Virtual Node, which is analogous to a central shared node platform, can be individually
configured by each partner to handle its different dataflows. EPA has established the Virtual
Node infrastructure in a central shared cloud environment. This new node model was
developed in response to Exchange Network partners that need more cost efficient ways to
manage their nodes and decrease costs. This new approach has potential to significantly
simplify development and maintenance of both nodes and flows using inheritance features
and plug-in support. The specific design details of this model are being tested by EPA and
early adopters in coordination with the Network Technology Board.

The focus of this solicitation is to cover the transition cost for partners to move from a
physical node implementation to the virtual node multi-tenant (shared) implementation.
Funding for Virtual Node adoption will not exceed $70,000. Actual award amounts will be
based upon the complexity of moving individual nodes and associated dataflows (e.g.,
number of active dataflows) to this environment.

Virtual Node Application

EPA is interested in working closely with partners to leverage this new model for a shared
node Implementation (partners sharing a common scalable node). Installations of this type
would provide a simplified solution for any partner (particularly partners lacking adequate
resources for a dedicated node environment). Much of the basic administration would be
done centrally, so that partners are able to concentrate on configuring data flows and
publishing new services and data instead of administering node application servers.

Under the Virtual Node solution:

• Partners would configure data flows on the new centrally-hosted virtual
cloud node, but partner databases could stay in place.

• State databases would connect to the Virtual Node through a new secure

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channel or backend bridge.

• Node administrators would retain complete control of all aspects of their Node, their
data flows, and the manner in which the virtual node accesses their staging tables or
databases.

• Wizard-driven functionality is available on the virtual node for creating new data
flows and to minimize the effort to create and transition data flows to the virtual
node.

The virtual node may offer some significant advantages over current nodes. It eliminates
software licensing costs, server costs, and much of the administration costs for partners,
while providing a simplified development model and greater economies of scale.

Applications for transitioning to the virtual node should locus on development activities
such as:

a) Dataflow configuration,

b) Testing,

c) Security Plan Requirements, and

d) Virtual Node Training.

New Node Communication Model

Another key goal of the solicitation is lo explore various ways of interconnecting from the
partner staging tahles or database servers (backend) lo the virtual node in the cloud
environment. The following technical oplions are currently available:

• Internet Service I5us (ISM): A component will he installed in the partner backend
database environment which establishes an SSL tunnel with the ISB in the cloud for
relaying network activity to/from the node in the cloud. The component is supplied
by CI)X and installed as a Windows NT service. No firewall change is required.

• Secure Virtual Private Network (VPN): This is a secure network connection from the
partner's node in the cloud lo the partner backend database environment. Once the
connectivity is established, the node can make direct database connections through
the secure channel. This is the traditional VPN approach and the partner must open
a firewall lor VPN access.

Partners are encouraged to evaluate one or more of these options with their security team to
ensure that a communication model can be approved for their virtual node implementation.
Partners should include their target models in their grant.

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Appendix C

Shared CROMERR Services

Background

EPA's Cross Media Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR) sets technology-neutral and
performance based standards for systems used by states, tribes and local governments to
receive electronic reports and documents from entities regulated under EPA-authorized
programs. These standards cover a variety of system functions (e.g., security, user
identification, etc.) designed to make electronic reports as legally defensible as paper
submittals.

To date, states and local governments have typically addressed CROMERR requirements by
implementing system functions within their respective electronic reporting systems
resulting in some duplicative investment of resources. Budget shortfalls, staff turnover,
changing technology and complex program requirements pose challenges to organizations
required to implement CROMERR and continue this duplicative investment.

In an effort to ease these challenges, the Exchange Network Leadership Council established
the Shared CROMERR Services Integrated Project Team (IPT), comprised of EPA
management and staff and 17 state representatives, in the Fall of 2012. The IPT discussed
and investigated opportunities for the adoption of information technology services that EPA
maintains and co-regulators could use to meet CROMERR requirements. This Executive
Summary broadly reviews the recommendations from the IPT and the actions that EPA is
taking to assist our trading partners.

Description of Shared CROMERR Services

EPA is offering CROMERR services that can be reused and managed in a centralized way, and
co-regulators can leverage the CDX CROMERR services for their own reporting programs in
a more cost effective and efficient manner. EPA will offer states and tribes a set of CDX
services for CROMERR functions; states and tribes will be able to select the desired services
and implement them to meet their organizational and system needs.

At a summary level, the services can be broken down into the following three categories:

•	Registration and Identity Management:

o Services for creating, validating and maintaining accounts of reporting
entities.

o Over 90 percent of IPT participants are interested in implementing a shared
solution to help with Identity Proofing components within the Registration
process.

•	Electronic Signature:

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o Services for authenticating credentials, verifying user intent, and
electronically signing submissions from regulated entities that is as legally
defensible as the traditional pen and paper approach,
o Over 80 percent of the IPT participants are interested in implementing a
shared solution to help with the signature ceremony aspects of CROMERR.

• Copy of Record (COR) Management:

o Services for storing, maintaining, and retrieving data submissions at the level

of legal integrity required by CROMERR.
o Nearly 70 percent of IPT participants are interested in implementing a shared
solution that would help with COR management.

Anticipated Benefits

The following benefits are anticipated as a result of providing Shared CROMERR Services to
states and tribes:

• Reduced barriers for compliance - The initial upfront and ongoing investment to
meet CROMERR requirements will Ix- reduced.

• Improved CROMERR Compliance Assistance - Adoption of Shared CROMERR
Services will facilitate better responses i<> CKOMi; UK compliance auditing activities.

• Realization of Cost Savings - There is great potential for states and tribes will
realize costs savings by integrating shared CROMERR services as opposed to building,
operating and maintaining independent systems.

• Common Support Model - States and tribes will be able to leverage a common pool
of resources, services and lessons learned to assist with implementation approaches
and integration work.

• User Friendly Experience to Regulated Communities- States and tribes will be
able to provide consistent and simplified registration and electronic signature
processes to the regulated community.

• Consistent Audit and Enforcement Practices - Shared CROMERR services should
provide a stronger legal foundation and more consistent practices in civil and
criminal enforcement proceedings.

Current Status

EPA has implemented a set of CROMERR shared services and is working with EN partners to
test and use them. Numerous states have established plans for implementing the necessary
business processes and technical environments to consume these services. EPA is
conducting a series of continual improvement sessions to get feedback on service
refinements and explore opportunities for expansion of the services. The CROMERR Shared
Services IPT is continuing as a mechanism to educate new EN partners and make future
implementation easier. More Information is available on the IPT and status of the services
at the EN website: http://www.exchangenetwork.net/shared-cromerr-services-ipt/

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Exchange Network Grant Opportunities

Exchange Network Partners with a need to implement CROMERR for their electronic
reporting programs can choose to leverage EPA's centralized CROMERR services with
support from the Grant Program. Acceptable activities include but are not limited to the
following:

•	Integrating CROMERR services into exchange partner dataflows,

•	Documenting technical and security requirements,

•	Testing and deploying CROMERR services,

•	Participating on and supporting the State/1'PA CKOMI'lvR IPT(s), and

•	Proj ect planning and management.

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Appendix D

Detailed Instructions for Submitting Applications

Applicants for the FY 2015 Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant program must submit
an application package to EPA by November 7, 2014. EPA will accept applications for
National Environmental Information Exchange Network/E-Enterprise grants in one of two
ways: 1) an application submitted electronically through the grants.gov website; or 2] a
hardcopy mailed or delivered application, including one original and two copies.
Applicants who submit a hard copy are encouraged to also submit an electronic courtesy
copy of the application by email, to Salena Reynolds at ENGrantProgram(5)epa.gov. EPA
will confirm receipt of each application with an e-mail to the contacts listed in the cover
letter. A single proposal can be for either Exchange Network or E-Enterprise not for
both.

EPA will notify applicants of its selection decisions in or around April 2015. The
notification letters will include further instructions to successful applicants for submittal
of additional or updated documents. F PA plans to award all grants by July 31, 2015.

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement (fillable
forms can be obtained from http://www.epa.uov/oud/AppKit/application.htrn1:

1. Application lor Federal Assistance (SF-424J

2. Budget Information lor Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

3. Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

4. Certification Regarding Lobbying Form

5. FPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54

6. I'PA Form 4700-4- Preaward Compliance Review Report

7. Project Narrative

8. Detailed Itemized Budget

9. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL), if applicable

10. Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable

11. Programmatic Resources and Personnel

12. Cover Letter

13. Additional Information for Inter-tribal Consortium, if applicable

14. Formal Project Partners Roles and Responsibilities, if applicable

15. List of Federally and/or Non-federally Funded Assistance Agreements

1. Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance

Complete the form. Please note that the organizational Dun and Bradstreet (D&B)

Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be included on the SF-424.
Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS
number request line at 1-866- 705-5711.

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2. SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

Complete the form. The total amount of federal funding requested for the project period
should be shown on line 5(e) and on line 6(k) of SF-424A. If indirect costs are included, the
amount of indirect costs should be entered on line 6(j). The indirect cost rate (i.e., a
percentage), the base (e.g., personnel costs and fringe benefits), and the amount should also
be indicated on line 22. If indirect costs are requested, a copy of the Negotiated Indirect Cost
Rate Agreement must be submitted as part of the application package. (See instructions for
document 10 below.)

3. SF-424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Program

Complete the form.

4. EPA Lobbying Form - Certification Regarding Lobbying

Complete the form.

5. EPA Form 5700-54, Key Contacts Form

Complete the form.

6. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-Award Compliance Review Report.

Complete the form.

7. Project Narrative

1. General Guidelines for Writing a Successful Project Narrative

a. Clarity and Succinctness - A proposed work plan must not exceed ten pages.
Any work plan dements thai appear after the tenth page are not reviewed.
(Irani panels score proposals on how well they meetthe criteria. The narrative
should completely describe how the proposal meets each criterion.

h. Completeness and continuity - Make sure the project narrative fully
addresses each criterion. Make sure all items that belong in the work plan are
grouped together and that no non-workplan items are included in this portion
of the application.

c. Numbering- Number each page of your work plan from one to ten.

d. Legibility - Proposals should use fonts (serif or sans serif) that are 11 point
or higher. Use 1-inch margins and single line spacing. Small font size across
full pages is not necessary (see l.a) and it makes a reviewer's job harder.

e. Limit the Terminology to "Goals, Outputs and Outcomes." There are no
"objectives, milestones, or tasks" in Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant
proposals. There is nothing wrong with those terms. In fact, you might find
them useful for your internal project planning and tracking. However, limiting
and standardizing these terms makes it easier for panelists to score proposals
consistently.

2. Work Plan Contents - Include each of the following items in the ten-page project
narrative.

a. General Introduction - This should be a narrative description of the
proposed work. If the proposal is for more than one project, it may be helpful

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to organize the introduction by goal. An introduction is not an evaluation
criterion but it will help reviewers better understand what is being proposed,
b. Describe project goals, outputs and outcomes that lead to environmental
results - Include a plan that allows the applicant to track and report progress
toward achieving the project's proposed goals. Reviewers will look for a table
similar to the one included below as evidence of a plan to track and report
progress. Using the table below as a model will ensure reviewers can see what
major project outputs (major deliverables or events) you propose for each
goal (a self-contained project), when they are scheduled and what overall
outcomes leading to environmental results each proposed goal supports.

Goals, Outputs, Scheduled Completion Dates and Outcomes
Suggested format - expand number of goal and outputs as needed

Goal

Output

Scheduled
Completion
Date

Outcome(s)

Goal 1:
Name
the
Goal

1.1





1.2



1.3



1.4



Goal 2:
Name
the
Goal

2.1





2.2



2.3



c.	Roles and responsibilities of project participants for the applicant and
any partners - 11' I tie project is not a partnership, list who is going to work on
the project and what they will be doing. If the proposed project includes one
or more formal partners, describe what their roles as agencies or tribes are.

d.	Programmatic involvement in the development and management of the
project, including a listing of programmatic participants, positions and
roles in the project -Any project that is not purely technical must have
substantive program participation. Make sure that you describe that
contribution.

e.	(EN applications only) Applicant's commitment to re-use existing EN
tools by searching for existing resources, to share new tools with EN
partners or registering any newly developed resources in The Exchange
Network Discovery Service (ENDS) or Reusable Component Services
(RCS) as appropriate - Applicants should not spend grant funds on tools
already developed and available for EN partner use. The proposal must

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include a commitment to use or adapt existing tools. Applicants must also
commit to registering tools they develop in grant funded projects.

f.	(EE applications only) Applicant's commitment to adopt a methodology
and develop products are applicable to EPA and its co-implementer
partners nationally.

g.	Describe the business need for proposed project - Write a short statement
of the business need for the work proposed. Applicants should consider the
following questions as they prepare their justifications: What problem does
this proposal solve? How does the proposed project solve this problem and
meet the applicant's business need? How is this different from other Exchange
Network grants that EPA has previously awarded to the applicant?

h.	Budget amounts for each goal - For proposals with more than one goal, list
the total budget amount allocated to each. Occasionally EPA will decide an
individual goal should not be funded. This may happen when a proposed goal
is not consistent with EN priorities or when EPA decides the proposal is not
adequate for other reasons, because each goal represents a free-standing
project, EPA may decide to fund oilier proposed goals in the same proposal.
Knowing what each proposed project will cost makes il possible for EPA to
adjust the total budget in these cases.

i.	Summarized qualifications of the project manager and other key
personnel

j. Statement summarizing past performance
8. Detailed Itemized Budget

Applicants should describe both the total project budget and the costs associated
with each major goal in a detailed itemized budget. The goal-specific budget
information is important, because EPA may wish to consider partially funding some
projects (i.e., funding only some goals for a project but not others). Failure to provide
a detailed itemized budget will result in a mandatory 10-point deduction on your
application. The budget must include any relevant item listed below:

A. Personnel - List all staff positions by title. Give the annual salary of each
person, the percentage of their time devoted to the project, the amount of
each person's salary funded by the grant and the total personnel cost for the
budget period.

B.	Fringe Benefits - Identify the fringe benefit rate and total amount.

C.	Travel - Specify the mileage, per diem, estimated number of in state and out of
state trips other costs for each type of travel. EPA suggests that applicants
include funds for travel to national, regional and area Exchange Network
conferences.

D.	Equipment - Identify each item of equipment to be purchased that has an
estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit and a useful lifetime of
more than one year. List the quantity and unit cost per item. Items with a unit
cost of less than $5,000 are supplies.

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E.	Supplies - Supplies include all tangible personal property other than
"equipment." The detailed budget should identify categories of supplies (such
as laboratory supplies or office supplies). List the quantity and unit cost per
item.

F.	Contractual - Identify each proposed contract and specify its purpose and
estimated cost. Applicants who request in-kind services should list them here.

G.	Other - List each item in sufficient detail for U.S. EPA to determine whether the
costs are reasonable or allowable. List any item, such as training, not covered
elsewhere here.

H.	Indirect Charges - If indirect charges are included in the budget, include the
approved indirect cost rate with a copy of the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, a
description of the base used to calculate indirect costs and total cost of the
base, and the total indirect charges requested. Before an applicant can incur
any costs under the indirect cost category, the Indirect Cost Rate
Agreement must be approved and current. If you do not have a current
rate, you may submit a copy of the submitted application to the cognizant
fiduciary agency.

I.	Management Fees - When formulating budgets lor applications, applicants
must not include management fees or similar charges in excess of the direct
costs and indirect costs at the rale approved by the applicants cognizant audit
agency, or at the rale provided lor by the terms of the agreement negotiated
with EPA. The term "management fees or similar charges" refers to expenses
added to the direct costs in order to accumulate and reserve funds for ongoing
business expenses, unforeseen liabilities, or for other similar costs that are not
allowable under EPA assistance agreements. Management fees or similar
charges may not be used to improve or expand the project funded under this
agreement, except to the extent authorized as a direct cost of carrying out the
scope of work.

9.	SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable

This form is required if your organization is involved in lobbying. Complete the form if
your organization is involved in lobbying activities. Applicants that do not have to
submit this form should state so in their application.

10.	Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

This form is required if indirect costs are included in the project budget. You must
submit a copy of your organization's Indirect Cost Rate Agreement as part of the
application package if your proposed budget includes indirect costs.

11.	Programmatic Resources and Personnel:

Briefly describe the programmatic resources and personnel involved in the project for the
recipient and any participating partner. Highlight any expertise or past experiences that

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may be particularly helpful in carrying out the project. Include biographical sketches or
resumes of the lead and any partner Project Manager(s). Each biographical sketch should
outline the education, work history, and knowledge/expertise of the individual that will be
managing the proposed project. (For proposals seeking funding for tribal capacity
building who propose to use funding from this grant to hire key personnel and/or
the project manager only -- submit a statement of knowledge, skills, abilities, and
qualifications from the recruitment package for that position.)

12.	Cover Letter

Applications must include a cover letter signed by an authorized organizational
representative (AOR) who, by virtue of their position, is able to obligate staff time on the
proposed project (a suggested cover letter template is available at the end of Appendix E)
including:

i. recipient information;

ii.	project title;

iii.	indication of whether the proposal is Exchange Network or !¦-Enterprise.

iv.	type of vehicle requested (grant/cooperative agreement/ Performance
Partnership Grant);

v.	proposed amount of grant (broken down into direct funding and in-kind
assistance if relevant);

vi.	partners on the grant (if applicable);

vii.	brief project summary including a statement of project goal(s);

viii.	contact information for the project lead; and

ix. signature of executive level Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR).

13.	Additional Information for Inter-tribal Consortium: An inter-tribal consortium
applying for an I'Y 20IS Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant must include
documentation that shows:

•	a formal partnership exists among the Indian tribal governments that are members
of the inter-tribal consortium, and the majority of the members are federally
recognized Indian tribes; and,

•	the consortium's federally recognized tribal members have authorized the
consortium to apply lor and receive assistance from the Exchange Network/E-
Enterprise Grant Program.

14.	Formal Project Partners - Roles and Responsibilities and Distribution of Funds:

If the proposed project involves formal project partners who will actively participate in
implementing the project, provide a description of the roles and responsibilities of each
partner in carrying out each of the project goals. Describe how the recipient would
coordinate work among the partners using methods such as regular teleconferences,
meetings, or written status reports. If the recipient plans to distribute funding to other
partners, describe the method for doing so. Exchange Network/E-Enterprise grant projects
that include one or more formal partners can have budgets up to $500,000.

Partnerships formed from within a single state, territorial or tribal government (e.g., a
"partnership" limited to the Environment and Public Health Departments within a state)
are not eligible partnerships and are limited to the $300,000 maximum funding for a single-

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jurisdiction grant and are not eligible for EE assistance agreements.

15. List of EN Assistance Agreements

Provide a list of previously awarded assistance agreements from the past three years.

Submitting a Hard-Copy Application Package

Applicants should submit one original and two paper copies of all of the documents listed
above (EPA has provided a checklist of required application documents in Appendix H).
Hard-copy applications must be postmarked or delivered l<> an overnight mail or courier
service at or before 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on November 7, 2014. EPA
recommends the use of overnight delivery or courier services to reduce the chance of delays.
Applicants should send their hard-copy applications to oik- of the following addresses
depending on the delivery method:

Mailing Address.

Salena Reynolds

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, (2H23-T)
NW Washington, DC 20460

Physical Address (for overnight, or courier deliveries)'.

Salena Reynolds

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
130 L Constitution Avenue,

6lh rioor, Room 6416S
Washington, DC 20004

Applicants who submit a hard copy are encouraged to also submit an electronic copy of
the application by email, to Salena Reynolds at I¦ NGrantProgram@epa.gov.

EPA will provide electronic acknowledgement of receipt of each application. If you do
not receive acknowledgement of receipt from EPA regarding the submission of your grant
application within 30 days of the application deadline, please contact Salena Reynolds,
Exchange Network/I'-I jiterprise Grants Manager, at (202)-566-0466 or
reynolds.salena^epa.uov. Failure to do so may result in your application not being
considered. Please retain documentation that shows that you submitted your application
by the deadline.

Submitting an Electronic Application Package through Grants.gov

Electronic application packages can also be submitted through the grants.gov website,
http://www.grants.gov. The Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement is EPA-
OEI-14-01. Electronic applications must be submitted to this website by 11:59 pm on
November 7, 2014. EPA advises applicants to submit their electronic applications early, so
that if any technical difficulties arise, there will still be time to address them before the
application deadline.

If you wish to apply electronically via grants.gov, the electronic submission of your
application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered

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with grants.gov and authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more
information, on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit
an application through grants.gov, go to http: / /www, grants .gov and click on
"Applicants" on the top of the page then go to the "Get Registered" on the page. Note that
the registration process may take a week or longer. If your organization is not currently
registered with grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration
process as soon as possible. Please note that the registration process also requires that
your organization have a DUNS number and a current registration with the System for
Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more.
Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this
opportunity through grants.gov and should ensure thai all such requirements have been
met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration on grant.gov, SAM.gov, and
DUNS number assignment is FREE.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to
http:/ /www, grants .gov and click on "Apply for Grants" from the drop down menu and
then followthe instructions accordingly. Please Note: To apply through grants.govyou
must use Adobe Reader software and download the compatible Adobe Reader
version. For more information about Adobe Reader, to verily compatibility, orto download
the free software, please visit http://www.grants.uov/web/grants/support/technical-
support/software/adobe-reader-coni pat ihility.htm I

You may also be able to access the application package lor this announcement by searching
for the opportunity on http://www.grants.gov . Go to http://www.grants.gov and then
click on "Search Grants" at the lop of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number
EPA-OEI-14-Ol, or the CFDA number that applies to this announcement (CFDA 66.608), in
the appropriate field and click the Search button. Alternatively, you may be able to access
the application package by clicking on the Application Package button at the top right of
the synopsis page for the announcement on http://www.grants.gov . To find the synopsis
page, go to http://www.grants.gov and click "Browse Agencies" in the middle of the page
and then go to "Environmental Protection Agency" to find the EPA funding opportunities.

Please be sure to review the additional instructions below before applying electronically
under this announcement through use of grants.gov that are available for download on
grants.gov . You can also obtain additional instructions on completing and submitting the
electronic application package bv clicking the "Show Instructions" tab that is accessible
within the application package itself.

Application materials submitted through grants.gov will be time/date stamped
electronically. If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not from
grants.gov) within 30 days of the application deadline, please contact Salena Reynolds,
Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant Program Manager, at (202)-566-0466 or
revnolds.salena(5)epa.gov. Failure to do so may result in your application not being
reviewed.

The forms and documents that comprise the applications will be either completed on-line

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in grants.gov or submitted as an attachment per Figure E-l below.

Figure E-l: Submission Instructions for Application Forms and Documents

Form/Document

Submission
Instruction

1. Application for Federal Assistance fSF-4241

Complete on-line

2. Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs ("SF-424A]

Complete on-line

3. Assurances for Non-Construction Programs ("SF-424B1

Complete on-line

4. Certification Regarding Lobbying Form

Complete on-line

5. EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54

Complete on-line

6. EPA Form 4700-4 - Preaward Compliance Review Report

Complete on-line

7. Proiect Narrative

Attach document

8. Detailed Itemized Budget fBudget Narrative Allnchmcnt Form)

Attach document

9. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities fSF-LLL~),ifaii|ilic;ihlc

Complete on-line

10. Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable

Attach document

11. Programmatic Resources and Personnel

Attach document

12. Cover Letter

Attach document

13. Additional Information for Inlcr-lrihnl Consorlium, il npplicahle

Attach document

14. Formal Proiect Pnrlncrs Holes :nul l\csponsihililics, il npplicnhlc

Attach document

15. List of Federally niul/or Non-leilenillv Funded Assistance

Attach document

Additional Application Preparation and Submission Instructions

Documents 1 through 6 listed under Application Materials above should appear in the
"Mandatory Documents" ho\ on the Grants.gov Grant Application Package page. For
documents 1 through (S, click on the appropriate form and then click "Open Form"
below the box. The fields that must be completed will be highlighted in yellow. Optional
fields and completed fields will be displayed in white. If you enter an invalid response or
incomplete information in a field, you will receive an error message. When you have
finished filling out each Ibrm, click "Save." When you return to the electronic Grant
Application Package page, click on the form you just completed, and then click on the box
that says, "Move Form to Submission List." This action will move the document over to
the box that says, "Mandatory Completed Documents for Submission."

Documents 7 and 8 require attached electronic files. Prepare your project narrative and
detailed itemized budget as described above and save the documents to your computer
as an MS Word or PDF file. When you are ready to attach your documents to the
application package, click on "Project Narrative Attachment Form," and open the form.
Click "Add Mandatory Project Narrative File," and then attach your documents
(previously saved to your computer) using the browse window that appears. You may
then click "View Mandatory Project Narrative File" to view it. Enter a brief descriptive
title of your project in the space beside "Mandatory Project Narrative File Filename;"

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the filename should be no more than 40 characters long. If there are other attachments
to submit to accompany your application, you may click "Add Optional Project Narrative
File" and proceed as before. When you have finished attaching the necessary documents,
click "Close Form." When you return to the "Grant Application Package" page, select the
"Project Narrative Attachment Form" and click "Move Form to Submission List." The
form should now appear in the box that says, "Mandatory Completed Documents for
Submission." Follow the same general procedures for attaching document 8 - the Detailed
Itemized Budget - using the "Budget Narrative Attachment Form."

Documents 9 through 15 are listed in the "Optional Documents" box, but please note that
these documents must be submitted as part of the application package, if applicable
to your organization. To attach documents 9 through 16, use the "Other Attachments
Form" in the "Optional Documents" box. After attaching the documents, please
remember to highlight the "Other Attachments Form" and click "Move Form to Submission
List" in order to move the documents to the box that says, "Optional Completed Documents
for Submission.

Please note that applicants are limited to using the following characters in all attachment
file names. Valid file names may only include the following UTF-8 characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-
9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, period. 11'applicants use any other characters when
naming their attachment files their applications will be ivjectedbygrants.gov.

Once you have finished filling out all of the Ibrms/attachments and they appear in one
of the "Completed Documents for Submission" boxes, click the "Save" button that appears
atthe top ofthe Web page. It is suggested that you save the document a second time, using a
different name, since this will make it easier to submit an amended package later, if
necessary. Please use the following format when saving your file: "Applicant Name - FY
2015 Exchange Network - P' Submission" or "Applicant Name - FY 2015 Exchange
Network - l?ack-up Submission." If it becomes necessary to submit an amended package
at a later date, the name ol'the 2"1' submission should be changed to "Applicant Name - FY
2015 Exchange Network - 2"1' Submission."

Once your application package has been completed and saved, send it to your AOR for
submission to U.S. EPA through grants.gov. Please advise your AOR to close all other
software programs before attempting to submit the application package through
grants.gov.

In the "Application Filing Name" box, your AOR should enter your organization's name and
the words, "FY 2015 Exchange Network." The filing name should not exceed 40
characters (i.e., abbreviate where possible). From the "Grant Application Package" page,
your AOR may submit the package by clicking the "Submit" button that appears at the top
of the page. The AOR will then be asked to verify the agency and funding opportunity
number for which the application package is submitted. If problems arise during the
submission process, the AOR should reboot the computer before trying to submit the
application package again. [It may be necessary to turn off the computer (not just restart
it) or change computers before attempting to submit the package again.] If you continue
to experience submission problems, the AOR may contact grants.gov for assistance at 1-

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800-518-4726 or email at http://www.grants.gov/help/help.jsp or call Salena Reynolds
at 202-566-0466. You are encouraged to submit your application early, in case problems
are encountered that result in delays.

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Suggested template for cover letter

[Organizational Letterhead]

Ms. Salena Reynolds

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Environmental Information

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Mail Code 2823-T

Washington, DC 20460

Dear Ms. Reynolds:

I am pleased to submit the [state, tribe or territory name here| |Name of Department or Agency]'s
application for a [type of assistance: grant, cooperative agreement], entitled [project name],
under the FY 2015 Exchange Network/E-Enterprise Grant Program. This application is for an
[Exchange Network or E-Enterprise] project. This application is seeking [dollar amount] in direct
grants funding and [dollar amount of Funds| in in-kind support. We have ['no' or number of
partners] formal partners in this grant application. | Our partners are: name partners],

[Short narrative description of project includinga statement of project goal(s)|

The contact for this grant application is:

Name and Title of Project Lead

Name of Office or Division

Name of Department or Agency

Full Mailing Address

Phone

Number(s)

Email address

If there are any questions, please feel free to call either myself or the contact named in this
letter.

Sincerely.

[Name/Title of Authorized Organizational Representative]

Attachment

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Appendix E

Sample Project Goals, Outputs, and Outcomes
Goals

1. Emissions Inventory System (EIS) & Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Dataflows

Freedonia DEP has been sending NEI data to EPA using the Exchange Network. However,
as EPA moves to a new database, called the Emissions Inventory System, this dataflow
will need to be upgraded to meet the new schema, CLKS.

Freedonia requires Title V facilities to provide (liven ho use (las (GHG) data to the state,
unless they are providing data directly lo The (Himate Registry (TCR). Currently three
Freedonia companies have agreed to supply data to TCR. The remainder of the Title V
facilities must supply GHG data to Freedonia Dl-P annually using the same online system
as NEI data. This system is called the Permitting and Air Reporting System of Freedonia
(PARSOF).

1.1. Map EIS & GHG data elements lo the CERS XML Schema.

This includes detailed analysis and specifications for transferring data from
PARSOF to CERS schema.

1.2. Implementthe production EIS dataflow. This includes:

• Develop the Lxlracl, Transform and Load (ETLJ process to load PARSOF data
to staging tables

• Develop an LIS node plug-in lo transfer the data from the staging tables to XML

• Configure the node data flow

• Tc\sl the dataflow and perform quality assessment

1.3. Implement the GHG dataflow lo production.

Repeat step 1.2 with minor adaptations for GHG data.

1.4. Improve GIS Locations for emission points from Title V facilities, including
preparation of geospalial metadata for the Latitude/Longitude Data Standard and
meeting EPA's minimum accuracy of 25 meters for most points. This will improve the
accuracy of data in both EIS and GHG.

This includes obtaining and entering locations and stack parameters for
approximately 9,500 emission points into the PARSOF database. Some of these data
will need to be transformed from the Breeze modeling software, and some obtained
from paper maps and checked against aerial photos. Also if time allows, other
locations and associated Web applications for environmental assessment/integration
maybe improved.

1.5. Add application module to the Facility Explorer Web application to allow easy

E-l

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access to emission point locations and associated data. This will be used to evaluate
emission rates of surrounding major facilities within a given radius of a proposed
construction project.

This is a required assessment under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration
(PSD) permitting program.

Currently when a construction project is proposed, the applicant contacts DEP who
then queries the database for nearby sites, and manually finds the emission point data
for each site to send to the applicant. The proposed Web application module will allow
the applicant to run a simple query themselves, lluis obtaining the data immediately,
and completely eliminating the need for DEI1 stali'to find data.

The proposed application module includes programming lo load the emission point
locations as sub-entities into Freedonia's Environmental Facilities Database (EFD)
warehouse, request the search, do the (IIS query, retrieve needed report data from
EFD and PARSOF, and build the report using SQL Reporting Services. The report will
include:

•	facility name, address, and plant ID;

•	permitted or potential facility-wide emission rates in tons per year for: S02,N0x,
CO, Pb, PMio, and (if available) I'M—;

•	a list of emission point locations with XY coordinates in UTM;

•	permitted or potential emission rates and the most recent two years of actual
emissions lor each emission point lor: SOj, N()\, CO, Pb, PMio, and (if available)
PM2.5; and

•	stack parameters, including stack II), height, diameter, temperature, flow rate,
emission point type, bypass slack (Y/N), and obstructed (Y/N).

2. Water Quality Exchange (WQX) Flow

The replacement database for STORET, AWQMS (Ambient Water Quality Management
System) is being developed by several states and Region 8, including Illinois, Minnesota,
Utah, the National Park Service, and possibly Alaska. Freedonia is planning to implement
this database lo replace Freedonia STORET as the state database.

2.1.	Map the data elements lo the XML Schema. This includes detailed analysis and
specifications for transferring data from the state database to WQX schema.

2.2.	Implement the dataflow to CDX (EPA's Node). This includes:

•	adapt the 4.1 WQX Windsor node plug-in to transfer the data from the state
database to XML;

•	set up and configure the node; and

•	test the dataflow and perform quality assessment.

2.3.	Document the flow implementation for use by other states using AWQMS and the
same type of Node. Illinois and Minnesota use a Windsor .NET node. Other agencies
have also mentioned the possibility of using the Windsor Node by the time this is

E-2

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implemented. Freedonia DEP will develop the documentation and provide any
applicable code to these other agencies for streamlined implementation.

2.4. Publish a Web service that will allow applications to pull water quality monitoring
data. This Web service will allow applications to query water quality monitoring data
from the state's database. Initial plans are for at least two staging tables which can be
populated using an automated DTS/SSIS or other script.

At a minimum, the staging tables should include the following elements and any
other required elements in the WQX schema.

The output will be in WQX standard XML and include all elements in the staging
tables. This grant will focus on makingthis work with Freedonia data. However, this
can be extended later in two ways:

• add data to Freedonia's staging tables from other sources, such as USGS, the
Freedonia Pesticide Monitoring database (FPEST), and raw water samples from
the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SI)WIS). This will allow
applications to pull easily pull monitoring data from a variety of sources; or

• share the code and documentation with other states using AWQMS.

Figure F-l: Goals, Outputs, Target Dates, and Outcomes

Goal

Output

Target Date1

Outcome

EIS&

GHG

Dataflows

1.1 CI-KSdata mapped to
XML schema

Jan. 1, 201(>

1 ncreased availability of timely, high
quality data to other Exchange
Network partners will improve
environmental decision-making.

1.2 lilS Ilow to lil'A
becomes operational

|une 1, 20 Hi

1.3 CMC Ilow to lil'A
becomes one rational

Dec. 31. 2016

1.4 Improve CIS
locations & geospatial
metadata lor air release

Sept. 30, 2017

1.5 Add
Assessment
Module* to
evaluate air

Mar. 31, 2018

WQX4

2.1 Data mapped to XML
schema

Mar. 31, 2016

Increased availability of data to other
Exchange Network partners
Electronic availability of standardized,
timely, high quality data over the
Exchange

Network will improve the analysis of
water quality monitoring data and lead
to better

2.2 Implement WQX

Sept 30, 2016

2.3 Written
documentation of
implementing WQX with

Jan. 31, 2017

2.4 Publish Web service

Sept 30, 2017

1 Estimated Grant Period: October 1, 2015 through Sept. 30, 2018. If DEP is notified of the grant award by August lor before,

dates will be shifted so they fall within the grant period.

2These tasks also accomplish the following intermediate outcome:

• Improved business processes that facilitate burden reduction on the regulated community.

3These tasks also accomplish the following two intermediate outcomes:

• Increased speed and timeliness of data exchange by allowing data exchanges to happen more frequently, thereby

E-3

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decreasing the lag between partner systems;

- • Increased efficiency of data exchange by reducing administrative burden, including reducing or eliminating manual

intervention for tasks such as scheduling, resubmissions, or security.

4This goal also accomplishes the following intermediate outcomes.

• Economies of scale through shared infrastructure to achieve reduced costs and expanded functionality.

Please see our attached Detailed Budget which links expected investments under this
agreement to each goal to support and complete the proposed work referenced in this
Narrative.

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Appendix F

Contracts and Subawards

Can funding be used for the applicant to make subawards, acquire contract
services or fund partnerships?

EPA awards funds to one eligible applicant as the recipient even if other eligible applicants
are named as partners or co-applicants or members of a coalition or consortium. The
recipient is accountable to EPA for the proper expenditure of funds.

Funding may be used to provide subgrants or subawards of financial assistance, which
includes using subawards or subgrants l<> fund partnerships, provided the recipient
complies with applicable requirements for subawards or subgrants including those
contained in 40 CFR Parts 30 or 31, as appropriate. Applicants must compete contracts for
services and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and price analyses
to the extent required by the procurement provisions of the regulations at 40 CFR Parts 30
or 31, as appropriate. The regulations also contain limitations on consultant
compensation. Applicants are not required to identify subawardees/subgrantees and/or
contractors (including consultants) in their application. However, if they do, the fact that
an applicant selected for award has named a specific subawardee/subgrantee, contractor,
or consultant in the application EPA selects for funding does not relieve the applicant of its
obligations to comply with subaward/subgranl and/or competitive procurement
requirements as appropriate. Please note that applicants may not award sole source
contracts to consulting, engineering or other firms assisting applicants with the application
solely hased on the firm's role in preparing the application.

Successful applicants cannot use subgrants or subawards to avoid requirements in EPA
grant regulations for competitive procurement by using these instruments to acquire
commercial services or products from for-profit organizations to carry out its assistance
agreement. The nature of the transaction between the recipient and the subawardee or
subgrantee must be consistent with the standards for distinguishing between vendor
transactions and subrecipient assistance under Subpart B Section .210 of OMB Circular A-
133 , and the definitions of subaward at 40 CFR 30.2(ff) or subgrant at 40 CFR 31.3, as
applicable. EPA will not be a party to these transactions. Applicants acquiring commercial
goods or services must comply with the competitive procurement standards in 40 CFR Part
30 or 40 CFR Part 31.36 and cannot use a subaward/subgrant as the funding mechanism.

How will an applicant's proposed subawardees/subgrantees and contractors be
considered during the evaluation process described in Section V of the
announcement?

Section V of the announcement describes the evaluation criteria and evaluation process
that will be used by EPA to make selections under this announcement. During this
evaluation, except for those criteria that relate to the applicant's own qualifications, past

F-l

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performance, and reporting history, the review panel will consider, if appropriate and
relevant, the qualifications, expertise, and experience of:

(i)	an applicant's named subawardees/subgrantees identified in the application if the
applicant demonstrates in the application that if it receives an award that the
subaward/subgrant will be properly awarded consistent with the applicable regulations
in 40 CFR Parts 30 or 31. For example, applicants must not use subawards/subgrants to
obtain commercial services or products from for profit firms or individual consultants.

(ii)	an applicant's named contractor(s), including consultants, identified in the application
if the applicant demonstrates in its application that the contractor(s) was selected in
compliance with the competitive Procurement Standards in 40 CFR Part 30 or 40 CFR
31.36 as appropriate. For example, an applicant must demonstrate that it selected the
contractor(s) competitively or that a proper non-competitive sole-source award consistent
with the regulations will be made to the contractors], thai efforts were made to provide
small and disadvantaged businesses with opportunities to compete, and that some form of
cost or price analysis was conducted. EPA may not accept sole source justifications for
contracts for services or products that are otherwise readily available in the commercial
marketplace.

EPA will not consider the qualifications, experience, and expertise of named
subawardees/subgrantees and/or named contractors) during the application evaluation
process unless the applicant complies with these requirements.

How can I report information subawards?

To report subaward information is FSKS, you must have an account. To register in FSRS,
follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Access the FSKS online home page f https://www.fsrs.gov/I

Step 2: Click on "Awardees" in the "log-in or register now" box on the home page.

Step 3: Click on "Registration Instructions for Awardees" under the returning awardees;

login fields.

FSRS also developed an awardee user guide with step by step instructions on submitting a
report, https://www.fsrs.gov/documents/FSRS Awardee User Guide.pdf

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Appendix G

Checklist of Documents to Submit

The following documents are required under this Solicitation Notice and constitute the full
application to EPA for assistance agreement funding. Fillable forms can be obtained from
http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.html. All applicable forms and documents
must be submitted and validated within grants.gov, postmarked, or delivered by an
overnight courier service at or before 11:59pm on November 7, 2014. To confirm
applicant eligibility and/or applicability of any of I lie listed forms or documents below,
please contact Salena Reynolds at (202) 566-0466 or ri'vnolds.salena(5)epa.gov.

~	Standard Form 424, "Applications for Federal Assistance"

~	Standard Form 424A, "Budget Informal ion for Non Construction Programs"

~	Standard Form 424B, "Assurances for Non Construction Programs"

~	Certification Regarding Lobbying Form

~	Standard Form 5700-54, "Key Contacts Form"

~	EPAForm 4700-4, "Preaward Compliance Rev iew Report"

~	Project Narrative

o No more than 10-pages, single-spaced.

o Mustaddress Evaluation Criteria [Section V-A| and link activities to
results/outcomes.

o Must include short statement ol lUisiness Need.

~	Detailed Itemized liudgel

o Describe both total project budget and the costs associated with each major goal,
o If budget includes Midi reel costs, an approved IDC Agreement is required.
~~ Standard Form LLL, "Disclosure ol Lobbying Activities", if applicable
Negotiated Indirect (lost Agreement, il applicable
Programmatic Resources and Personnel
Cov er better

o Recipient Information
0 Indicate whether LN or EE proposal
o Project Title

o Type ol Assistance Vehicle identified [Section II-B]
o Partners, il applicable [Section III-C]
o Brief'Project Summary
o Contact Information for Project Lead

o Signature of Executive as Authorized Organizational Representative

~	Description of Inter-Tribal Consortium Eligibility, if applicable

~	Formal Project Partners, if applicable

o Project Narrative [above] details roles and responsibilities of lead and partners in

carrying out each project goal,
o If lead will distribute funding to partners, describe methodology or state no
distribution.

o Letters of support and intent included from all proposed partners.

~	List of EN Assistance Agreements

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Appendix H Quality Assurance Reporting Form omb no 2025-0006

Expires 4/30/2015

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL
Quality Assuranc
for Use by Recipients o

PROTECTION AGENCY
e Reportiu» l-'orm
'Assistance Agreements

Recipient Organization:

Name:

Address:

KIW Award Number:

Project/Program l>ei-iod(starting and ending dates, mm/dd/yyyy):

Activity Group: ~ Infrastructure Development Planning, Mentoring, and Training
(check ail that apply) n Data Exchange, Analysis and Integration _ Challenge

Coal

Task

Output

Outcome

Qualify Assurance Measures

Instructions: - Please submit electronicallj lo mini projril nllUvi- uilliin *><• days of award.

- For Quality Assurance Measures, please refer In current Solicitation Notice for Quality Assurance Guidelines.

- For Goals, please refer to goals outlined in mini assistance agreement work plan.

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Burden Statement: The public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average one hour per response. Send comments
on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of automated
collection techniques to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Include the OMB control
number in any correspondence. Do not send the completed form to this address.

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Appendix I

Reusability: RCS and ENDS

What is Reusability?

Reusability, as related to the Exchange Network and the grants, has a broad definition. It
could mean exact reuse, such as employing a widget or mobile application as developed
and available, or simply discovering similar tools that are out there and perhaps seeking
best practices therein. It is difficult to deem an asset reusable or not because reusability is
only limited by the willingness and creativity of its developers and users.

Some examples of reusability include:

using components of an existing CROMEKK compliant tool lo develop your own tool
that is CROMERR compliant;

modifying existing java code to perform a similar function;

learning best practices in the development of your new UI-ST Web service from
someone who has developed similar Web services;

pooling resources to develop a software tool lluil will benefit multiple slates;
using existing Web services lo authenticate access lo CI)X instead of developing your
own; and

new or updated map templates, geospatial data Web services or geoprocessing tools
that address commonly occurring challenges.

Benefits of Reusability

• Cost: adapting and integrating costs less than building. Saves taxpayer dollars.

• Speed: faster than building from scratch. Reusable assets have been implemented
before and comply with requirements and security restraints.

• Quality: reuse leads lo the discovery and correction of defects and overall product
improvement.

• I jivironmental: reusing tools and building tools for future reuse saves resources.

Tips for Creating Reusable Tools

The extent lo which a resource is considered reusable varies widely. However, when
developing a new resource, there are certain principles one can follow to make the
resource more available lor reuse:

• the resource and its architecture have comprehensive documentation;

• the resource is 'portable' in that it does not rely heavily on a specific hardware or
technology;

• the resource is flexible and can perform multiple functions;

• the resource is compliant with existing standards; and

• the resource is reliable and free of defects.

Please visit www.epa.aov/rcs to begin searching for reusable resources.

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Appendix J

How to Register in RCS:

Searching RCS for reusable resources

Anyone can search RCS by going to www.epa.gov/rcs. All resources designated as publicly-
viewable can be found here. To see resources marked as only available to EPA and partners,
you must login to RCS. Please see below for instructions on accessing the non-public version
of RCS.

Requesting Access to the non-public version of RCS

1.	Go to www.epa.gov/sor

2.	On the leftside menu, select "Login for EPA & Partners"

3.	If you have an EPA LAN ID and password, you may enter it now. If not, select the link below
the login box that says "CLICK HEKl-l to register for access to the EPA Portal."

4.	Enter the requested information on the next screen

5.	Click "continue." Another I'illable screen displays. For l-PA sponsor, enter Lico Galindo,
galindo.lico(5)epa.pov. l7or Community of Interest, select "System of Registries." For Reason
for Access, select "KCS access"

6.	Click "submit." Yon will receive an approval email in 1-2 days
Registering an IT Resource in RCS

1.	Login to KCS. (io to the Asset Catalog in either Browse or Search mode

2.	Click "Add Asset" (near the middle of the page)

3.	Fill out the requested information:

a.	Name (i.e. Iowa RiverMapper)

b.	Description (i.e. A software tool that allows users to map river data around the state of
Iowa)

c.	Version (this will likely be Version 1)

d.	Organization (choose "U.S. EPA and Partners")

4.	Click "OK." The full record of the new resource will display.

5.	Fill out the appropriate information in the tabs, such as information about the steward of

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this asset. Please note that not all tabs need to be filled in; rather, any important metadata or
information relevant to the resource should be provided. Every resource should have a
steward.

6. The new resource will be reviewed by the RCS Registrar. Until approved by him, it will
only be visible to you.

What should be registered in RCS?

Block of Code- pieces of programming code that perform a specific function that can be used
in whole or in part, as-is or modified, in developing software.

Software Tool- any piece of software (utility, application, etc.) that performs one or more
functions.

System- software that performs one or more specific tasks. Example: the Integrated
Compliance Information System, or ICIS

Widget- a software tool that uses a small graphical interlace to provide a function or service
to a Web application or Web page. Example: the IIV Index widget

Web Service- software system designed to support macliine-lo-machine interaction over a
network. These can he either SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or REST
(Representational State Transfer). Examples: the I RS I'acility Search REST Web service; the
ConvertLat/Long SOAP Web service

XML Schema- XML language description of the structure and content of a document or data
set.

Mobile App- a software tool that runs on a portable device such as a Smartphone or tablet.

*The types of IT resources listed above are some of the most common and important types to
add to RCS. However, there arc other types of resources that can be registered. Please check in
RCS to see a full list.

***Please do not hesitate to contact Lico Galindo (aalindo.lico&epa.aov. 202-566-1252)
if you have any questions at all regarding problems accessing RCS, what or how to
register, or if you would like some hands-on help or a demo of RCS.

Searching for reusable dataflows and services in ENDS

The recipient shall reuse existing dataflow names and Exchange Network services registered
in ENDS, instead of building new ones, for sharing similar data over the Exchange Network.
To research what resources exist, the recipient shall review what is registered at
http://www.exchangenetwork.net and have an Exchange Network node administrator
check in the production ENDS Web site located at
https://ends2.epa.gov/admin/default.aspx. ENDS supports copying existing service

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definitions in order to simplify this reuse.

Registering new Exchange Network resources to ENDS:

The recipient shall enter metadata and descriptions of all new Exchange Network nodes,
dataflows and services developed under this grant into the Exchange Network Discovery
Services v2.0. Registering information in ENDS is described at
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/exchange-network-discovery-service-ends and in detail
in	the	Discovery	Users	Guide	V3	at

http://www.exchangenetwork.net/node/DiscoveryUserGuidev3.doc. In order to register
new resources in ENDS, the recipient will need a NAAS account with node administrator
access rights. Such account needs to be requested at the Exchange Network help desk at 888-
890-1995 nodehelpdesk@epacdx.net

What should be registered in ENDS?

Exchange Network nodes used to deploy services.

Dataflows - Processes used in the e.\chanL;e of information between two or more network
partners.

Exchange Network Services - Web services that implement dataflows are special services
that need a Flow Control Document and other special documents to describe the service.
Please	refer	to	the	Discovery	Users	Guide

V3 at hllp://www.e\chaimenelwork.nel/node/l)iscoveryUserGuidev3.doc.

***Please contact the Exchange Network help desk (nodehelpdesk@epacdx.net, 888-
890-1995) if you have any questions at all regarding problems accessing ENDS, what or
how to register.

The following table shows where the different resources should be registered:

Service or Component Type

Register in ENDS

Register in RCS

Network nodes

X



Dataflows

X



EN services [related to data flows")

X



XML Schema



X

Software Tools



X

Web services not related to dataflows,
SOAP or REST



X

Widget tools



X

Programming Code (routines, classes,
etc.")



X

Mobile Applications



X

Code Libraries



X

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Others

PLEASE DISCUSS WITH YOUR REGIONAL



COORDINATOR

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Definitions

Appendix K

Application Programming Interface (API)

When used in the context of web development, an API is typically defined as a set of
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request messages, along with a definition of the
structure of response messages, which is usually in an Extensible Markup Language (XML)
or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format. The term web API is virtually synonymous
with the term web service.

Central Data Exchange (CDX)

EPA's CDX is the point of entry to the National l-lnvironmental Information Exchange
Network (Exchange Network) for environmental data exchanges to the Agency. CDX
provides the capability for submitters to access their data through the use of Web services.
CDX enables EPA and participating Program Offices to work with stakeholders - including
state, tribal and local governments and regulated industries - to enahle streamlined,
electronic submission of data via the Internet.

Community of Interest

A community of interest is a group of Lxchange Network stakeholders who share an
interest in the exchange of a specific set ol'environmental data.

Construction

Construction is the erection, building, alteration, remodeling, improvement, or extension
of buildings, structures or other properly. Construction also includes remedial actions in
response to a release, or a threat of a release, of a hazardous substance into the
environment as determined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CLKCLA) of 1980.

Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR)

Regulation that sets requirements - including performance-based, technology-
neutral standards for electronic reporting systems - for states, tribes and local
governments implementing electronic reporting under their approved EPA-authorized
programs. CROMERR requires that states, tribes, and local governments amend or revise
their EPA-authorized program(s) to receive reports from regulated facilities under those
programs. Both new and existing electronic reporting programs require EPA approval,
and the regulation establishes a process for applying for and obtaining such approval.
CROMERR also addresses electronic reporting directly to EPA.

Data Access Services (Publishing)

Network publishing is a term that refers to using Exchange Network technologies,
services and specifications for Web services to make data available to Network users by
querying nodes and returning environmental data in the form of XML or (Json) documents.

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These services are also called data services. Once these data services are deployed, they
can be used in a number of ways such as populating Web pages, synchronizing data
between sites, viewing data in a Web service client, or building new sources of data into an
integrated application. In other words, data access services are a specific subset of the
many possible types of Web services. Other Web service types include data submission,
security, quality assurance, notification and status.

Data Element

A data element is the smallest unit of information stored in and exchanged among
Exchange Network partners' information systems. Examples of data elements are the
facility name, DUNS number, and inspection date.

Data Exchange Template (DET)

A data exchange template is a standardized formal that identifies the types of
information required/allowed in a particular document or data exchange. Data exchange
templates contain no data, but they define the format for exchange according to data
standards and trading partner agreements. A standard template for DET's is available on
the Exchange Network website fhttp://www.exchanL;en etwork.net/knowledge-base/).

Data Standard

A data standard documents an agreement on representation, format, and definition of
common data exchanged. Exchange Network partners must use data standards that have
been approved by the Exchange Network Leadership Council (ENLC). The ENLC has
subsumed the activities of the Environ menial Data Standards Council (EDSC). See
information at http://www.exchanL;enelwork.net/knowledge-base/

E-Enterprise

E-Enterprise is a joint initiative of Stales and EPA to expand access to environmental
monitoring data, streamline regulatory information collections, and achieve performance
goals for regulatory burden reduction and cost avoidance. The E-Enterprise program will
be institutionalized through policies, supported by shared services, coordinated with
governmental partners, and overseen by intra-agency and interagency governance
structures.

Enhancement

An enhancement is defined as expanding geographic coverage, or adding new data
elements, additional parameters, or historical data to an existing national or priority data
exchange or schema.

Exchange Network Discovery Services (ENDS)

The Exchange Network Discovery Services (ENDS) is a set of directory services for all
nodes in Exchange Network. This central catalog approach supports the automated
consumption of services using tools such as the EN Browser and the EN Services Center
via an XML document that contains the service metadata. ENDS automates both the
discovery and retrieval of service metadata for the Network and supports the

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Administration and export of node services via the Web and Web Service interfaces. ENDS
is composed of two main components: the first, is a set of services that allows EN partners
to submit and query the service descriptions stored in the ENDS repository; the second,
is a Web interface that simplifies the data entry of service metadata into ENDS. The
services all accept or return a common XML schema. This XML schema provides a
structured, standard way to represent EN services across all EN Nodes. A second ENDS
schema defines the Data Element Description Language (DEDL) that can be used by
individual Exchange Network nodes for describing acceptable parameters and valid
allowable values, and making them available as services. DEDL further enhances the
ability for EN partners to build rich, user friendly applications using EN services. More
information on ENDS is available at http://www.exchangenetwork.net/exchange-
network-discovery-service-ends/.

Exchange Network Services Center (ENSC)

The ENSC is a browser based portal that provides Exchange Network partners access to a
broad range of Network services. Among the most notable features of the Service
Center is the ability to submit data to LPA systems, monitor the status of data
submissions, and access a variety of Network administrative data. Lssentially, the ENSC
offers most of the functionality of a Node, but it is not automated and cannot respond to
data requests. It simplifies access to Network services because it requires no software to
install or configure. It can be accessed from any computer with a browser and internet
access. The ENSC is available at https://enservices.epa.gov/login.aspx.

Environmental Information Exchange Network (Exchange Network)

The Exchange Network is an Internet and standards-based information network among
EPA and its partners in states, tribes, and territories. It is designed to help integrate
information, provide secure real-time access to environmental information, and support
the electronic collection and exchange of high-quality data and information. The Exchange
Network provides a more efficient way of exchanging environmental information at all
levels of government. It significantly improves the way EPA and its state, tribal, and
territorial partners send and receive information.

Extensible Markup Language (XML)

Extensible Markup Language is a flexible language for creating common information
formats and sharing both the format and content of data over the Internet and elsewhere.
XML is a formatting language recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
For guidance on the development of XML schema for the Exchange Network or related
activities of the Network Technical Group, see the Exchange Network website at
http://www.exchangenetwork.net.

Flow Configuration Documents (FCDs)

FCDs are the principle document that captures the detailed data exchange processing
design and roles governing the data exchange using narrative text, diagrams and examples.
A standard template for FCDs is available on the Exchange Network website at
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/knowledge-base/.

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Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) include software and hardware systems that
relate and display collected data in terms of geographic or spatial location. GIS allow
users to collect, manage, and analyze large volumes of geospatial data and metadata. EPA
and its partners use GIS systems to conduct complex environmental analyses.

Geospatial Data

Geospatial data are data that identify, depict, or describe the geographic locations,
boundaries, or characteristics of the Earth's inhabitants or its natural or human-
constructed features. Geospatial data include geographic coordinates (e.g., latitude and
longitude) that identify a specific location on the Karth and data that are linked to
geographic locations or have a geospatial component (e.g., socio-economic data, land use
records and analyses, land surveys, homeland security information, and environmental
analyses). Geospatial data may be obtained using a variety of approaches and
technologies, including things such as surveys, satellite remote sensing, Global Position
System (GPS) hand-held devices, and airborne imagery and detection devices.

Geospatial Technologies

Geospatial technologies include the computer hardware and software that are commonly
used to collect, import, store, manipulate, analyze, and display digital geospatial data.
These technologies include GIS, global positioning systems (GPS), remote sensing and
visualization systems.

In-Kind Services

Services provided by l-PA contractors and consultants on specific parts of the project
for the recipient. The recipient can request this type of service as part of the grant
application, if the in- kind work is directly related to the recipient's application and the
applicant is the primary beneficiary of the work. However, EPA reserves the rightto decide
whether or not in-kind services will be provided. The recipient may not direct the work
provided through in-kind services. Those services are managed by EPA.

Integrated Project Team

A group of individuals comprised of partner and EPA staff, support contractors, and
technology vendors organized to design and implement a specific exchange.

Metadata

Metadata are data or information that describes other data. Examples include data that
describe how or where the data were collected, whether or not the data comply with
agreed-upon data standards, or how the data will be used.

Network Authorization and Authentication Services

Network Authorization and Authentication Services (NAAS) are a set of centralized
information security services that Exchange Network partners can use to authenticate

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and authorize their users. NAAS provides an efficient way for Exchange Network
participants to exchange data, without having to build and maintain their own security
system. NAAS supports many levels of security, from PIN/passwords to public Key
Infrastructure. All NAAS operations are conducted over a Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
channel using 128-bit encryption.

Node

A Node is a Web service enabled server (hardware and software) that provides a
point for exchanging information over the Internet. Exchange Network Nodes can gain
access to and transmit information using Web services. In order to achieve
interoperability among Nodes, all Nodes must be set up according to the Exchange
Network specifications. Freely available Node software is available at
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/exchange-netu,ork-prodiicts/. Specifications,

protocols, tools, code and documentation for building a fundi oiling Exchange Network
Node are available at http://www.exchanuenelwork.net/knowledue-base/ .

Node Client

A Node client is an application (software code) llial can generate Web service messages
for using the Exchange Network. A Node client can do llie following:

• Submit data in XML formal lo I-PA or other partners using the Exchange Network
and

• Request data in XML formal from l-PA or oilier partners using the Exchange
Network.

Several Node clients llial are very user friendly are available on the Exchange Network
website already. More are on llie way. A Node client software developer kit (SDK) is also
availahle lo help you inlegrale Node clienl requests into your applications. Unlike
Nodes, Node d ion Is cannot publish dala on llie Exchange Network (i.e., they cannot listen
for or respond lo dala queries from oilier Exchange Network partners)

Outcome

The term "oulcome" means llie result, effect, or consequence of carrying out a project
leading to an environmental or programmatic goal. Outcomes may be environmental,
behavioral, health- relaled or programmatic in nature, maybe quantitative or qualitative,
and may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

Output

The term "output" means an environmental activity, effort, or associated work products
leading to an environmental goal, that will be produced or provided over a period of
time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be
measurable during an assistance agreement funding period.

Phase 1 (of the Exchange Network)

Phase 1 of the Exchange Network is a term that the Network community uses to identify
the Ten National and Priority System Flows identified in this Solicitation Notice. The

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flows are: Air Quality System (AQS); Emissions Inventory System (EIS); Integrated
Compliance Information System - National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (ICIS-
NPDES), including Net Discharge Monitoring Reports (NetDMR); Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act Information System (RCRAinfo); eBeaches; Safe Drinking Water
Information System (SDWIS); Underground Injection Control Database (UIC); Water
Quality Exchange (WQX); Facility Registry System (FRS); and Toxic Release Inventory
System (TRIS).

Phase 2 (of the Exchange Network)

Phase 2 of the Exchange Network is the term that the Network community uses to refer
to the second phase of Network development. Phase 1 Ibcused on development of the
Network infrastructure and implementation of data reporting to EPA using the Network.
In Phase 2, the Network community will expand Network publishing (data owners making
their information available to other partners on the Network using automated services),
develop applications (both mobile and desktop) and websites (including public sites) that
analyze and/or display data accessed using l-xchange Network services, expand the use of
the Networkfor data reportingto additional I'PA data systems, expand intra-partner data
sharing including programs where EPA does not have a central data store (e.g. institutional
controls for cleanup sites) and develop new technologies that make using the Network
easier and less costly.

Representational State Transfer (REST) / RESTful Web Service

Software system designed to support mach i ne-lo-machine interaction over a
network. Representational State Transfer (KI-ST) services do not require XML, SOAP,
or WSDL (Web Services Description Language) but rely on the exchange of requests and
responses between the resources and on their corresponding states. REST-style services
facilitate the aggregation ofservices into more complex services and the development
of mashups. REST services are usually accessed via HTTP (like a Web URL or link).
Guidance on implementing REST services for the Exchange Network is available at
http://www.exchangenetwork.net/rest-guidance/.

Reusable Component Services (RCS)

Reusable Component Services (RCS) is a catalog of information technology resources
(e.g., XML schema, widgets, UI-ST Web services) from U.S. EPA, states tribes and other
partners that provides a central point of access to a broad range of components and
services. RCS promotes effective information management by centrally registering these
resources, and it enables reuse of those resources for the purposes of reducing cost,
speeding development, and producing higher-quality systems. RCS is located at
http://www.epa.gov/rcs.

Schema

An XML schema defines the structure of an XML document including data elements and
attributes can appear in a document; how the data elements relate to one another; whether
an element is empty or can include text; which types of data are allowed for specific data
elements and attributes; and what the default and fixed values are for elements and
attributes. A set of Network quality assurance Web services is available to validate your

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XML documents against the schemas using a standard parser. A list of procedural and
guidance documents related to schema development is available on the Exchange Network
website at http://www.exchangenetwork.net/knowledge-base/.

Schematron

Schematron is an open source application that is used for validating XML documents
against business rules and returning error reports. It uses XML stylesheet (XSLT)
technology. The Network Quality Assurance Services use Schematron to validate XML
documents against the business rules, as well as supporting a standard parser for schema
validation.

Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

SOAP is a protocol specification for exchanging structured information for the
implementation of Web services on a computer network. It allows machines to
interoperate in a loosely coupled manner using simple standard messages over the
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP or others) and uses Extensible Markup Language
(XML) as the mechanisms for information exchange.

Virtual Node

A Virtual Node is a central node server that can host any number of partner nodes: state,
tribe, region, agency, etc. Each partner node is simply configured using wizards and forms
on the central virtual node cloud server. This eliminates the need for maintaining a local
node completely. I'ach partner node functions like a conventional node, only it is much
simpler and less expensive to set up and maintain.

Web Form

A standard interlace that can he downloaded from the Internet, a Web form contains blank
fields lor a user to enter data and submit the form (e.g., environmental reports) to the
receiver.

Web Services

Web services are a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-
machine interaction over a network. They make it easier to conduct work across
organizations regardless of the types of operating systems, hardware/software,
programming languages, and databases that are being used.

Widget

A software tool that uses a small (smaller than a page) graphical interface to provide a
function or service and that can be added to a Web application or to a Web page.

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