diff --git a/apps/tup-cms/src/apps/portal/apps.py b/apps/tup-cms/src/apps/portal/apps.py
index f669ed6a5..2d336e6e2 100644
--- a/apps/tup-cms/src/apps/portal/apps.py
+++ b/apps/tup-cms/src/apps/portal/apps.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 from djangocms_forms.signals import form_submission
 from django.conf import settings
+from django.core.mail import send_mail
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(f"portal.{__name__}")
@@ -42,10 +43,31 @@ def submit_ticket(form_data):
     requests.post(f"{service_url}/tickets/noauth", data=ticket_data, files=[])
 
 
+def send_confirmation_email(form_name, form_data):
+    email_body = """
+            <p>Hello,</p>
+            <p>
+                Thank you for submitting a form on the TACC website.
+            </p>
+            <p>
+                We will act on your request according to the information provided on the form webpage.
+            </p>
+            - TACC
+            """
+    send_mail(
+    f"TACC Form Submission Received: {form_name}",
+    email_body,
+    "no-reply@tacc.utexas.edu",
+    [form_data["email"]],
+    html_message=email_body)
+
+
 def callback(form, cleaned_data, **kwargs):
     logger.debug(f"received submission from {form.name}")
     if form.name == 'rt-ticket-form':
         submit_ticket(cleaned_data)
+    else:
+        send_confirmation_email(form.name, cleaned_data)
 
 
 class PortalConfig(AppConfig):
diff --git a/apps/tup-cms/src/taccsite_cms/secrets.sample.py b/apps/tup-cms/src/taccsite_cms/secrets.sample.py
index 30b37a452..034af1752 100644
--- a/apps/tup-cms/src/taccsite_cms/secrets.sample.py
+++ b/apps/tup-cms/src/taccsite_cms/secrets.sample.py
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
 TUP_SERVICES_ADMIN_JWT = "CHANGEME"
+
+EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend'
+EMAIL_HOST = ""