diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f6af35b429
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+<!--  Thanks for sending a pull request!  Here are some tips for you:
+
+1. If this is your first time, please read our contributor guidelines: https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/guide/first-contribution.md#your-first-contribution and developer guide https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/devel/development.md#development-guide
+2. Please label this pull request according to what type of issue you are addressing, especially if this is a release targeted pull request. For reference on required PR/issue labels, read here:
+https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/devel/sig-release/release.md#issuepr-kind-label
+3. Ensure you have added or ran the appropriate tests for your PR: https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/devel/sig-testing/testing.md
+4. If you want *faster* PR reviews, read how: https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/guide/pull-requests.md#best-practices-for-faster-reviews
+5. If the PR is unfinished, see how to mark it: https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/guide/pull-requests.md#marking-unfinished-pull-requests
+-->
+
+#### What type of PR is this?
+
+<!--
+Add one of the following kinds:
+/kind bug
+/kind cleanup
+/kind documentation
+/kind feature
+/kind design
+
+Optionally add one or more of the following kinds if applicable:
+/kind api-change
+/kind deprecation
+/kind failing-test
+/kind flake
+/kind regression
+-->
+
+#### What this PR does / why we need it:
+
+#### Which issue(s) this PR fixes:
+<!--
+*Automatically closes linked issue when PR is merged.
+Usage: `Fixes #<issue number>`, or `Fixes (paste link of issue)`.
+_If PR is about `failing-tests or flakes`, please post the related issues/tests in a comment and do not use `Fixes`_*
+-->
+Fixes #
+
+#### Special notes for your reviewer:
+
+#### Does this PR introduce a user-facing change?
+<!--
+If no, just write "NONE" in the release-note block below.
+If yes, a release note is required:
+Enter your extended release note in the block below. If the PR requires additional action from users switching to the new release, include the string "action required".
+
+For more information on release notes see: https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/guide/release-notes.md
+-->
+```release-note
+
+```
+
+#### Additional documentation e.g., KEPs (Kubernetes Enhancement Proposals), usage docs, etc.:
+
+<!--
+This section can be blank if this pull request does not require a release note.
+
+When adding links which point to resources within git repositories, like
+KEPs or supporting documentation, please reference a specific commit and avoid
+linking directly to the master branch. This ensures that links reference a
+specific point in time, rather than a document that may change over time.
+
+See here for guidance on getting permanent links to files: https://help.github.com/en/articles/getting-permanent-links-to-files
+
+Please use the following format for linking documentation:
+- [KEP]: <link>
+- [Usage]: <link>
+- [Other doc]: <link>
+-->
+```docs
+
+```
diff --git a/devel/submodules.md b/devel/submodules.md
index 68ca4eee0e..6edca72752 100644
--- a/devel/submodules.md
+++ b/devel/submodules.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ git submodule update --init
 If you changed [kubernetes-client/python-base](https://github.com/kubernetes-client/python-base) and want to pull your changes into this repo run this command:
 
 ```bash
-git submodule update --remote
+scripts/update-submodule.sh
 ```
 
-Once updated, you should create a new PR to commit changes to the repository.
+After the script finishes, please create a commit "generated python-base update" and send a PR to this repository.
diff --git a/scripts/update-submodule.sh b/scripts/update-submodule.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..86aa5a4b5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/update-submodule.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Copyright 2021 The Kubernetes Authors.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+
+# Update python-base submodule and collect release notes.
+# Usage:
+#
+#   $ scripts/update-submodule.sh
+#
+#   # To update the release notes for a specific release (e.g. v18.17.0a1):
+#   $ TARGET_RELEASE="v18.17.0a1" scripts/update-submodule.sh
+#
+# After the script finishes, please create a commit "generated python-base update"
+# and send a PR to this repository.
+# TODO(roycaihw): make the script send a PR
+
+set -o errexit
+set -o nounset
+set -o pipefail
+
+repo_root="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)"
+declare -r repo_root
+cd "${repo_root}"
+
+source scripts/util/changelog.sh
+go get k8s.io/release/cmd/release-notes
+
+TARGET_RELEASE=${TARGET_RELEASE:-"v$(grep "^CLIENT_VERSION = \"" scripts/constants.py | sed "s/CLIENT_VERSION = \"//g" | sed "s/\"//g")"}
+
+# update submodule
+git submodule update --remote
+
+# download release notes
+start_sha=$(git diff | grep "^-Subproject commit " | sed 's/-Subproject commit //g')
+end_sha=$(git diff | grep "^+Subproject commit " | sed 's/+Subproject commit //g')
+output="/tmp/python-base-relnote.md"
+release-notes --dependencies=false --org kubernetes-client --repo python-base --start-sha $start_sha --end-sha $end_sha --output $output
+sed -i 's/(\[\#/(\[kubernetes-client\/python-base\#/g' $output
+
+# update changelog
+IFS_backup=$IFS
+IFS=$'\n'
+sections=($(grep "^### " $output))
+IFS=$IFS_backup
+for section in "${sections[@]}"; do
+  # ignore section titles and empty lines; replace newline with liternal "\n"
+  release_notes=$(sed -n "/$section/,/###/{/###/!p}" $output | sed -n "{/^$/!p}" | sed ':a;N;$!ba;s/\n/\\n/g')
+  util::changelog::write_changelog "$TARGET_RELEASE" "$section" "$release_notes"
+done
+
+rm -f $output
+echo "Successfully updated CHANGELOG for submodule."
diff --git a/scripts/util/changelog.sh b/scripts/util/changelog.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..672b823369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/util/changelog.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Copyright 2021 The Kubernetes Authors.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+changelog="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/CHANGELOG.md"
+
+function util::changelog::has_release {
+  local release=$1
+  return $(grep -q "^# $release$" $changelog)
+}
+
+# find_release_start returns the number of the first line of the given release
+function util::changelog::find_release_start {
+  local release=$1
+  echo $(grep -n "^# $release$" $changelog | head -1 | cut -d: -f1)
+}
+
+# find_release_end returns the number of the last line of the given release
+function util::changelog::find_release_end {
+  local release=$1
+
+  local release_start=$(util::changelog::find_release_start $release)
+  local next_release_index=0
+  local releases=($(grep -n "^# " $changelog | cut -d: -f1))
+  for i in "${!releases[@]}"; do
+     if [[ "${releases[$i]}" = "$release_start" ]]; then
+       next_release_index=$((i+1))
+       break
+     fi
+  done
+  # return the line before the next release
+  echo $((${releases[${next_release_index}]}-1))
+}
+
+# has_section returns if the given section exists between start and end
+function util::changelog::has_section_in_range {
+  local section="$1"
+  local start=$2
+  local end=$3
+
+  local lines=($(grep -n "$section" "$changelog" | cut -d: -f1))
+  for i in "${!lines[@]}"; do
+    if [[ ${lines[$i]} -ge $start && ${lines[$i]} -le $end ]]; then
+      return 0
+    fi
+  done
+  return 1
+}
+
+# find_section returns the number of the first line of the given section
+function util::changelog::find_section_in_range {
+  local section="$1"
+  local start=$2
+  local end=$3
+
+  local line="0"
+  local lines=($(grep -n "$section" "$changelog" | cut -d: -f1))
+  for i in "${!lines[@]}"; do
+    if [[ ${lines[$i]} -ge $start && ${lines[$i]} -le $end ]]; then
+      line=${lines[$i]}
+      break
+    fi
+  done
+  echo $line
+}
+
+# write_changelog writes release_notes to section in target_release
+function util::changelog::write_changelog {
+  local target_release="$1"
+  local section="$2"
+  local release_notes="$3"
+
+  # find the place in the changelog that we want to edit
+  local line_to_edit="1"
+  if util::changelog::has_release $target_release; then
+    # the target release exists
+    release_first_line=$(util::changelog::find_release_start $target_release)
+    release_last_line=$(util::changelog::find_release_end $target_release)
+    if util::changelog::has_section_in_range "$section" "$release_first_line" "$release_last_line"; then
+      # prepend to existing section
+      line_to_edit=$(($(util::changelog::find_section_in_range "$section" "$release_first_line" "$release_last_line")+1))
+    else
+      # add a new section; plus 4 so that the section is placed below "Kubernetes API Version"
+      line_to_edit=$(($(util::changelog::find_release_start $target_release)+4))
+      release_notes="$section\n$release_notes\n"
+    fi
+  else
+    # add a new release
+    release_notes="# $target_release\n\nKubernetes API Version: To Be Updated\n\n$section\n$release_notes\n"
+  fi
+
+  echo "Writing the following release notes to CHANGELOG line $line_to_edit:"
+  echo -e $release_notes
+
+  # update changelog
+  sed -i "${line_to_edit}i${release_notes}" $changelog
+}