1. APEC Projects: Training EWG53 margins, Singapore, 25 April 2017
Prepared by APEC Project Management Unit and EWG Program Director
Copyright © 2015 APEC Secretariat

2. INTRODUCTION: Why does APEC have projects?
Projects are a vital part of APEC’s efforts to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Capacity building projects play an important role in helping translate APEC's goals into reality. By enhancing members' capacity through skills training and technological know-how, APEC-funded projects strengthen members' readiness to adopt new initiatives.
APEC is known for it’s high level policy discussions - Projects are important because they help translate those priority policy discussions into actions.
Most of APEC’s projects have a capacity building focus – this is important because information can be shared across the region and members' can learn new skills or ways of doing things from the APEC projects.
APEC projects can also be an excellent way for member economies to discuss new topics or introduce pathfinder initiatives into the APEC system.
You’ll see discussed later in the presentation that all APEC projects are assessed to ensure that they are relevant to APEC’s overall agenda.
APEC is conducting the second workshop on green energy smart farm development in Jakarta, Indonesia. 
APEC funds a project to support more dialogue in CleanEnergy, which includes a two-day event in Viet Nam.

3. PROJECT OVERVIEW: EWG Projects – selected examples
APEC Peer Review on Energy Efficiency (PREE), Phase 6
EWG A
Japan
2017 Energy Smart Communities Initiative (ESCI) Best Practices Awards Program
EWG S
Chinese Taipei;United States
Oil and Gas Security Initiative: 2016
EWG S
Conference on APEC Green Energy Finance
EWG S
Chinese Taipei
Workshop to Develop Qualified Product Lists for High-Quality and High-Efficiency Commercial, Industrial, and Outdoor Lighting Products and Control Systems in the APEC Region
EWG A
United States
Promoting Innovative Green Financing Mechanisms for Sustainable Urbanization and Quality Infrastructure Development in APEC Region
EWG A
China
Study on the Cost-Effective Renewable Energy-Supply Solutions based on Innovative Solar Technologies to Promote Green Buildings in APEC Region
EWG A
APEC Low-Carbon Model Town (LCMT) Project, Phase 7
EWG A
Gaps Assessment on APEC Energy Efficiency and Conservation Work Toward Fulfilling the Leaders’ Energy Intensity Reduction Goal
EWG A
Research on Energy Storage Technologies to Build Sustainable Energy Systems in the APEC Region
EWG A

4. PROJECT APPLICATION Applying for APEC funds
Who can apply for APEC funds?
A project originates from a member economy and is proposed through an APEC forum. The proposing economy leads design and delivery of the project through the Project Overseer (PO).
When can an application be made?
APEC has 2 submission deadlines per year, which apply to all APEC fora without other specific earlier arrangements, by which a final 3-page Concept Note must be submitted to the APEC Secretariat.
Session – due 21 June
NOTE: EWG CNs are endorsed and scored earlier than this deadline in accordance with the EWG Project Process.
The EWG Program Director subsequently ensures that all EWG CNs meet these general APEC deadlines …
- The dates listed here are the BMC approved deadlines by which a 3 page CN has to be submitted to your fora Program Director. But it’s important to remember that there is a lot of work that needs to be done before this deadline, in particular around engaging with the fora and building awareness around your project.
Some working groups have earlier dates depending on their agreed working principles. It is important that you engage with your group as part of the CN development process so that you are aware of any additional dates or requirements that your group may have
Full dates are available on the website; there are several key points in the process after this date, but this is the main date that you need to keep in mind.

5. PROJECT APPLICATION Applying for APEC funds EWG Project Process
EWG has its own project process which was approved by EWG members
This allows for a thorough review of draft CNs and scoring at EWG meetings so its deadlines are much earlier that most other APEC Fora (with the exception of HWG)
For general APEC information see*
For EWG specific information and deadlines see
* Following feedback from EWG members the ‘Applying for funds page’ now includes a reference to the EWG specific deadlines.

6. APPROVAL PROCESS: How are projects approved currently?
EWG Expert Group/Task Force reviews and endorses Concept Notes
EWG endorses and scores Concept Notes (/20) using Scoring Template
APEC Secretariat assesses eligibility of Concept Notes for ASF sub-funds (if applicable)
Committees score Concept Notes (/40) using Scoring Template
Concept Notes matched to available funding, starting with the highest scores; BMC approved Concept Notes developed into Project Proposals
Project Proposals assessed for quality by Forum and APEC Secretariat
Proposals recommended to BMC (projects >US$200,000 require SOM approval)
*BMC approved changes to this process are scheduled for S1 2018
Actually a fairly complicated process, balancing many interests.
This flow chart distils it down to 6 steps, so if you want more detail, please refer to Chapter 5 of the Guidebook.

7. FORMS & RESOURCES Concept Note materials can be found at:
Concept Note Template
Concept Note materials can be found at:
Refer to the:
Concept Note Template
Guidebook on APEC Projects
*** The ‘Concept Note Development Materials’ document has an easy-to-follow section by section guide on ho to complete the Concept Note Template***
This is a 3 page template, and it is available on the APEC website. Other relevant documents are the Concept Note Development Materials, which essentially goes through the CN template question by question to give you guidance. And then we have the Guidebook on APEC Projects. It is important that you refer to a copy of the Guidebook on APEC projects as it is our main policy document.

8. CONCEPT NOTE QUALITY: Convince the reviewer that your project is:
Overall purpose of the CN
Convince the reviewer that your project is:
Relevant to APEC goals
Benefits APEC economies/region
Describe the problem or opportunity addressed by this project.

9. CONCEPT NOTE QUALITY: Budget Developing a Budget
Use the Project Proposal budget template to calculate your Concept Note figures
Be accurate
Do research so estimates are realistic!
The budget in the Concept Note looks quite simple – it is just a few numbers – but actually once it is approved, the budget asked for in the CN becomes the ceiling for the whole project. You cannot ask for more funds at a later stage. So it is really important to do an accurate estimate of your costs. To do this, we recommend using the Project Proposal budget template which is at the end of the Project Proposal template (which is also located in the Guidebook on APEC projects).
Once approved, the approved CN budget becomes the ceiling for the proposal budget

10. CONCEPT NOTE TIPS Do your Research: Improving Your Submission
Research previous / current projects:
Demonstrate relevance to APEC priorities
Linkages to other work, both inside and outside of APEC
Explain how your project avoids duplication
An excellent source of information is the Project Database:
We’ve already discussed most of this information

11. CONCEPT NOTE TIPS Overall style:
Improving Your Submission
Overall style:
Be clear: a clear project concept is easily understood by assessors and is more likely to be highly prioritized
Be specific: this applies to all sections, even the title! The project title is the first thing people see.
Use standard, non-technical language
One thing to note on this slide is to ensure that your project title is clear and concise. Some of the committees will see upwards of 60 projects per session, so it is really important that your title accurately and quickly communicates what your project is trying to do. So keep the title short, don’t use acronyms and only include the most important message in it.

12. APPROVAL PROCESS: Consult widely Improving Your Submission
Engage your economy’s representative from the relevant forum (E.g. Health, Energy, Trade and Investment)
Advocate your economy’s Committee representative to score the Concept Notes
This ensures that your economy is doing all it can to support your project!
This step is very important, and it should not be overlooked when we talk about developing a Concept Note. So for example, it is important that you are talking about your project with as many people as possible, and that when you submit it to your fora for endorsement, it is not the first time the members are seeing or hearing about your project. Some steps before submission could be things such as submitting the project for comments or making a presentation about the idea at the fora meeting. This can be particularly helpful when you are looking for co-sponsors for the project.

13. APPROVAL PROCESS: Approval Stage 2: Project Proposals Proposals
Only for ‘approved’ concept notes
Expansion of concept note idea: 12 page maximum
Provides details of the project: how it will work step by step
Key focus: ensuring project quality
Once approved by BMC, the Project Proposal needs to be implemented by the PO as approved
If the PO would like to change the APEC project (eg number or scope of project outputs) during implementation they must seek Secretariat advice/approval.
Once you get a letter saying that your Concept Note has been approved, you can start expanding your 3 page CN into a 12 page project proposal.

14. PROJECT PROPOSALS:
Getting Started
Project Proposal materials can be found at:
Refer to the:
Project Proposal Template
Guidebook on APEC Projects (check for the latest version online)
*** The ‘Project Proposal Development Materials’ document has an easy-to-follow section by section guide on how to complete the Project Proposal Template***
Similar to Concept Notes, all of the materials are available online… …

15. PROJECT PROPOSALS Additional Information
Relevance to specific sub-funds:
This section is completed if your project applies to the Energy Efficiency Sub-Fund
As an APEC Support Fund applications, you must describe how the project supports the capacity building needs of APEC developing economies
What I’ll do now is go through the questions from the proposal that we didn’t discuss under the presentation on Concept Notes.
The first section that you won’t have seen before is relevance to the specific sub-funds. If you are applying to the TILF account, you need to include information on the specific portion of the Osaka Action Agenda that your project addresses.
Similarly with the APEC support fund general fund and sub funds, the proposal must focus on the capacity development of APEC developing economies. So if, for example, you have a project that only focuses on Japan and the US, you will need to relook at the project’s objectives and think of a way that you can broaden it out to include developing economies. Or, for example, you have a project that only focusses on research but there is no capacity development component, this will also need to be rethought so that you can include an aspect of learning about your topic.

16. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION:
How to avoid delays, headaches and disappointment
***Use the new EWG PO toolkit – all the implementation forms and APEC Guidelines are available online there in one place***
Be familiar with and follow APEC procurement rules:
Guidebook Chapter 12 on Contracting
Different requirements for contracts below USD 5,000; 20,000; 50,000; 50,001 and above
For over USD50,001 get your proposal assessment panel together early and remember only EWG officials (or their nominated delegates) can be assessors! (Co-sponsors pls help)
Use the RFP timeline and correct template forms available on the EWG PO toolkit

17. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION:
How to avoid delays, headaches and disappointment
***Use the new EWG PO toolkit – all the implementation forms and APEC Guidelines are now available online there in one place***
How to have a successful workshop:
Use the new APEC Event Timeline available on the EWG PO toolkit for your planning
Give at least 2 months notice to EWG members of workshops, nomination requests
Do your research and use your networks to find the right participants and speakers – don’t just rely on EWG members to find them for you
Involve relevant International Experts and organisations as speakers
Invite a representative(s) of other APEC working groups if relevant
Work closely with Norila (EWG Program Executive) on travellers’ approvals and acquittals

18. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION:
Gender and EWG Projects
Results so far – attendance for EWG project events
For projects completed
Potential to include gender more substantively in technical discussions for more EWG projects, as indicated in approved project proposals.
PO comment: ‘It would be useful for the APEC Secretariat to help maintain a list of experts in various fields, such as fossil fuel subsidy reform, particularly female participants, in order to help project overseers hold more gender balanced workshops.’ - For members’ discussion and resourcing (eg project/partnership?)

19. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION:
Monitoring In Implementation
Mandatory Reporting on Progress:
Monitoring reports submitted every 6 months:
1 February
1 August
Work with your PD for programming and budget changes
Mandatory Reporting on Completion:
Projects must be completed within 2 calendar years of the start date.
Completion report submitted within 2 months of completion
A quick comment about reporting. If you do have a project that is under implementation, the Secretariat also has monitoring and evaluation processes. The first of these is …

20. PROJECT PROPOSALS: Evaluation after Completion Longer Term Evaluation
A results oriented evaluation that collects quantitative and qualitative data on the performance of APEC projects will be completed about one year after project completion
POs and participants will be contacted by the Secretariat
Why Evaluate?:
To improve the design of future projects
To evaluate the successes or failures of the project
To generate knowledge or lessons learned, and share successes
And in addition to the regular reports, the Secretariat is implementing a longer-term evaluation process which is a … …
An will come from the Secretariat, about a year or so after the end of the project, likely using a web-based survey product called Survey Monkey. Please respond to it and ask participants to expect it and to respond. It serves a different reporting purpose to the end of workshop survey that is often done, and is essentially looking at how the project is still having an impact a year or so after the end of the project.
It asks simple questions, about how the implementation went, have you heard whether anyone is still using the outcomes of the project, and it take about 15 minutes total.

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