Accessing the Project Evaluation Platform

SEAI

Project Evaluation Platform

System user guide

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Contents

Introduction

Purpose

Accessibility

Accessing the Project Evaluation Platform

Access & Registration

Logging in to the System

Creating your application

Application Initiation Process - applicant users only

Downloading your .pdf form

Accessing the PDF application form for your project

Filling in an Application Form

Populating the form

Validating the form

Sharing the pdf Form

Submitting a completed Application Form – applicants only

Process following application submission

PEP communications for submitted forms

Appendix 1 – guidelines for applicants approving additional users

Additional User Setup

Introduction

Purpose

The Project Evaluation Platform (PEP)portal is a secure web based application managed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The PEPweb portal enables applicants to register and apply for funding from SEAI supported programmes. The following programmes are available from March 2013:

• Better Energy CommunitiesProgramme
• Better Energy Warmer Homes Area Based Programme

Accessibility

The Project Evaluation Platform is accessible via the SEAI Website. Visit for more details. The system functionality has been tested with Internet Explorer.

IMPORTANT:You must use Internet Explorer Version 8 or above to open the PEP Portal. Internet Explorer is available to download to your computer for free at:

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Accessing the Project Evaluation Platform

The SEAI Project Evaluation Platform (PEP) is used by multiple programmes to enable applicants to apply for SEAI funding. When you have registered for one application you will have access to avail of all evaluation programmes.

Access & Registration

To access the PEP portal the user should:

1)Open the PEP portal link by clicking the appropriate programme from the webpage accessible at

2)Select the Register / Login Option

3)If you are not already registered on the system you can register by clicking the button.

4) You will be brought to the registration page. Please select the type of user you wish to be:

Applicant – The PEP system requires a primary applicant. You will be the point of contact for your organisation group with SEAI. Anapplicant has the capability to send completed application forms to SEAI for evaluation and is the owner of an Organisation Group. The primary applicant can also approve a Proxy or second applicant. The second applicant must apply in the usual way then contact the primary applicant who will authorise them.

Contributor – You can review the status of existing applications and view the detail of submitted applications. Contributors are not permitted to send application forms for evaluation. A Contributor must be approved and added to the group by an Applicant. Once they have registered the Contributor must contact the Applicant who can authorise them to use the system.

5)If you are the first person from your organisation group to user the PEP system you will need to register your Organisation Group.

6)Once you have selected, or created your Organisation Group please register your personal details.

Organisation Group– Applicants for an organisation group are the only users who can send an application. This is important for management, control and ownership of the application.

An Organisation Group does not have to equate to a legal organisation. It is designed to provide the user with a view of their group’s interaction with SEAI. A large organisation could have more than one group. The group could contain people from multiple companies. The applicant has complete control of who can and can’t view the group projects.

7)Click when all fields are completed; the user will than receive notification that the account has been successfully created and will be brought to the Log – In page.

8)You can now access the Project Evaluation Platform system.

Logging in to the System

1)Once your account has been created please enter the system using the following information:

Email: Email address used for registration.

Password: Enter password used for registration; click .

2)You will now be brought to the organisation dashboard, or “Home” screen.

Creating your application

Application Initiation Process - applicant users only

Click “New Application” on the Project Evaluation Platform

Select Programme Name “Better Energy Communities” or “Warmer Homes Area Based” as required.

Select Refine Selection. Currently there is only one option for each Programme.

Enter a title for your application in the FullApplication section.

Click Create Application. You will receive confirmation that application has been successfully created and will be returned to main dashboard.

The new application has now been created and will appear in the “Active Projects” section of the Project Dashboard with a status of ‘Draft’.

Downloading your .pdf form

Accessing the PDF application form for your project

IMPORTANT:You must have Adobe Reader XI installed to complete the application process.

Adobe Reader XI is available to download to your computer for free at:

The user must click on the Project Name link in the active projects section.

The applicantis presented with a screen which contains a link to download the PDF application form for the Programme Type.

Click onthis will download the correct PDF application form to your system.

The applicant can now update the pdf form with the relevant information. The pdf form can be sent via e-mail to other parties to populate if required.

Important:

To edit the pdf, the user must have Adobe Acrobat Reader Version XI or higher.

Once the pdf is ready for submission only an applicant can attach it to the application in the PEP and send it SEAI for evaluation.

Filling in an Application Form

Populating the form

The user can now populate the fields in the application PDF form. All Fields highlighted in “Red” are mandatory and MUST be populated before the application is submitted.

The user can save their document at any time without completing the entire document.

Validating your figures. In Table 3a the values input under ‘Projected Annual Energy Savings Directly Attributable to Project’ must match the values in table 4b for all selected Energy Forms.

Signing the document. The applicant has two options for signing the document.

Option 1. Print off the signature page; sign manually; scan the signed pages and attach them to your project in the PEP system.

Option 2.Use Adobe Readers XI signature functionality to sign the document electronically.

Click on the sign button as shown below.

When “Place Signature” has been selected the user will see the following pop-up screen where they can browse to the image and attach as shown. Place the signature in the applicable sign area.

Validating the form

When the user is satisfied that all the data required has been completed select . This checks to ensure that all the key fields have been filled in before the applicant sends the form to SEAI for evaluation. If the form is complete the user will receive the confirmation message shown below, otherwise they will receive an error message which requires their attention.

Save the completed PDF to the computer hard drive.

Sharing the pdf Form

Until the form is submitted to SEAI it is completely owned by the applicant who downloaded it. The form can be e-mailed to interested parties, to populate specific data, to sign if required or just to review prior to submission.

Submitting a completed Application Form – applicants only

Browse to the forms location on the computer’s hard drive. Attach the application form and the additional documents you requireand click Submit Application.

If the attached .pdf document is complete the application form and the attached documents will be sent to SEAI for review.Users must attach the required additional documents such as TCC’s Vat exemption forms etc.

The Application status on the project dashboard will update from ‘Draft’ to ‘Submit’.

Process following application submission

PEP communications for submitted forms

1)Once the application documentation has been submitted, the applicant can check the PEP portal to view how their application is progressing.

2)If further information is required for a project application, an e-mail will inform the user to check their PEP system account for further details.

3)Each application will be evaluated as per the terms and conditions of the programme.

Appendix 1 – guidelines for applicantsapproving additional users

Additional User Setup

Requestthe user to register as an Applicant or a Contributor as appropriate to your requirements. Once they have registered they will receive an e-mail telling them so. However, they will not be able to login until you have authorised them.

1)Once the user has completed their registration. Login to the PEP system.

2)Go to the PROFILE section.

3)Enter the e-mail address of the userwho you want to approve in the Organisation User Search section.

4)You can now authorise the user.

5)If they are to be an applicant you must give them your Proxy after you authorise them as a user.

6)The user will now be permitted to Login with their user details.

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