Introduction to the HHS Payment Management System

Q WHO CAN ACCESS HHS/DPM/PMS? A Each WBC must have at least one person with access to the HHS Payment Management System to request funds and prepare and certify the FFR-Federal Cash Transaction Report (FCTR). More than one person may receive access, as these activities may be completed by more than one person. Please NOTE – the person(s) having access to the HHS PMS account must have been approved and listed on the personal sheets submitted by your WBC. This person must be a WBC employee. SBA and HHS officials assigned to WBC accounts may access the account for administrative purposes, e.g., opening, closing, increasing, decreasing, and monitoring account activity as necessary.

Q WHAT IF A PERSON WHO CAN ACCESS HHS/DPM/PMS LEAVES? A If an individual(s) leaves the WBC it is important that a replacement is made immediately. A new “Payment Management System Access Form” must be completed. This form may be mailed or faxed to HHS. A copy should be sent to SBA/OWBO. It is not wise to allow a current employee to use the identification, password, etc., established by a prior employee. It may be necessary to delay WBC payments if the new “Payment Management System Access Form” is delayed.

Q HOW DO NEW WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS GAIN ACCESS TO HHS? A Once a center has been awarded an SBA/OWBO grant, SBA/OWBO will provide the new center with both an SF1199A and a Primary Contact Form. The new WBC will complete the SF1199A – Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form. The center will complete a Department of Health & Human Services – Primary Contact Person Form. While these forms may indicate that they should be returned to HHS/DPM, they must, in fact, be returned to SBA/OWBO. These forms are needed for completion and accuracy of SBA/OWBO files.

Both the SF1199A – Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form and the Primary Contact Person Form must be sent to SBA/OWBO for review, filing & subsequent submission to HHS. HHS will verify and record the banking information. HHS will notify both, the new WBC, and SBA/OWBO of the new center’s account information. HHS will give the new WBC instructions for accessing the newly established HHS/DPM account, after which a permanent password must be established. When necessary, an established center may change both its banking information and/or the contact person by first notifying SBA/OWBO, then repeating the above process.

Q What happens if the host of a newly established WBC already has an account with HHS? A The host regards the newly established SBA/OWBO account as totally separate. The registration process for SBA/OWBO accounts is different from that of the registration processes for other entities. The request for withdrawal process for SBA/OWBO accounts is different from that of other entities. The new PMS account number will, however, be added to the host’s existing HHS profile, so the host will be able to use its existing username and password.

Q When may the WBC begin to request payments? A WBCs must submit signed Notices of Award (NOAs) each year. Shortly after the WBC has submitted an NOA to SBA/OWBO, the WBC project director and the assigned district office technical representative (DOTR) will receive an email. The initial email will— Display the total amount of the WBCs grant award for the designated year; Indicate the exact amount of the 1st withdrawal to be withdrawn upon receipt of the initial email; and Indicate the exact amount of the 2nd withdrawal (usually January 1) WBCs must not request payment from HHS unless SBA/OWBO sends an authorization email.

Sample Email Receipt of this communication means that your WBC has already been given approval to complete the final withdrawal of its Small Business Administration/Office of Women’s Business Ownership grant funds. Your SBA/OWBO Women’s Business Center grant award for FY00 is $ 000,000.00. Please be reminded that your WBC is required to withdraw exactly one fourth (1/4) of its grant funds each quarter unless otherwise agreed upon.  Your WBC is currently authorized to withdraw exactly $00,000.00 On or after January 1, 2016 your WBC may withdraw an additional $00,000.00 (2nd quarter). When your WBC has submitted the required documentation for both 1st and 2nd quarter you will receive a separate email authorizing you to withdraw additional funds for 3rd quarter and 4th quarter as appropriate. EACH WITHDRAWAL MUST BE PRECEEDED BY AN E-MAIL AUTHORIZATION FROM SBA/OWBO.  Please feel free to call your SBA/OWBO grants management specialist or Patricia Branch if you have any questions.

Q How often may the WBC make withdrawals? A HHS can accommodate withdrawals as often as the WBC would like to make them. Some of you may have experienced this flexibility in withdrawals with other accounts. However, SBA/OWBO withdrawals are set up to occur quarterly.   The grants management specialist has the authority to adjust the number and amount of WBC payments if administratively necessary to make corrections.

Q Are there specified withdrawal dates? A There are no specified withdrawal dates. Withdrawal dates are determined by the WBC’s submission of required data. The first and second withdrawals (advances) are authorized upon receipt of the WBC’s signed Notice of Award. These withdrawals may not be made until the WBC receives its authorizing email. The third withdrawal (advance) is authorized when the WBC’s submission of documentation of expenditures for both the first and second payments have been received and approved by the assigned grants management specialist. This withdrawal may not be made until the WBC receives its authorizing email.

The fourth withdrawal (reimbursement) is authorized after the end of the fiscal year (September 30). To get it— The WBC must submit documentation of expenditures of the third advanced withdrawal. The WBC must also submit documentation of expenditures for the 4th quarter (July/August/September). This payment will be a reimbursement. Documentation must be submitted to and approved by the assigned grants management specialist. The final withdrawal may not be made until the WBC receives its authorizing email.

Q When I request a payment, why does the PMS System automatically indicate that my request is in a “holding” file? A As a matter of administrative policy, all of SBA/OWBO payments are automatically put into a “holding” status. This gives the assigned account holder an opportunity to be certain that the requested payment has been authorized before allowing the request to be paid.

Q Who gets the “authorization emails? A There are more than 100 WBCs. This means that there are more than 100 names and emails just of directors to keep up with. These names and email addresses frequently change, so OWBO’s policy is to make the project director the primary point of contact. However, at a minimum, each authorization email is sent to at least 6 people.   WBC project directors—WBC project directors are best equipped to determine to whom in their organizations these emails should be directed. SBA district office technical representatives are OWBO’s partners in the field offices and are charged with oversight of the WBCs. The DOTRs are the WBC’s first line contact. The HHS representative The SBA grants management specialist to whom the WBC is assigned;  The SBA program manager to whom the WBC is assigned; and The SBA-HHS liaison sends a copy back to herself to be uploaded to the files.

Q Why does the center need to file a FFR-FCTR Report in the HHS Payment Management System? A The FFR submission to be completed in the HHS Payment Management System is an administrative function required by HHS in order for them to manage accounts. The FFR-FCTR Reports for the previous quarter is available the day after the quarter ends. Be sure to submit your FFR-FCTR within the timeframe requested by HHS. If HHS/DPM does not receive your report by the specified due dates, withdrawal privileges will be temporarily suspended until the report is completed. For disbursement activity during the months of: The FFR is due on: October 1 thru December 31 (1st Qtr.) January 30 January 1 thru March 31 (2nd Qtr.) April 30 April 1 thru June 30 (3rd Qtr.) July 30 July1 thru September 30 (4th Qtr.) October 30 While your WBC may have an authorization email from SBA, HHS has the right to withhold payments until its reporting requirements have been met

Q When my WBC’s Notice of Award and/or documentation of expenditures have been received, reviewed and approved how long before the authorization email will be sent? A Many authorization emails are sent within minutes after the grants management specialist presents the approval documentation for authorization of payment. OWBO attempts to send authorization emails within 24 hours after the completion of written approval for payment by the grants management specialist.

Q What is the WBC’s responsibility for the account closure process? A An account may be closed out at any time depending on prevailing circumstances of an individual WBC. Accounts with carryover amounts from a previous year will remain open until all agreed upon obligations have been met. For 2015-16, carryovers will only apply to centers within the first two years of an initial grant. Accounts in litigation will remain open until both litigation and documentation are complete. Accounts for discontinued WBCs (voluntarily or involuntarily) will remain open until all documentation is complete. Each fiscal year’s grant needs to be closed as soon as possible after the final withdrawal.

For a grant to be closed out in the HHS Payment Management System, the authorized amount (ATH), the advanced amount (ADV), and the disbursed (DSB) amount must match exactly: ATH: 58,130.00 ADV: 58,130.00 DSB: 58,130.00 Both the authorized amount and the advanced amount are automatically generated by the HHS/DPM. The disbursed amount is generated by the WBC’s completion of the FFR- FCTR. It is not until these numbers match exactly that a grant may be closed. NOTE: SBA/OWBO pays a monthly fee for each open grant. It is fiscally prudent for grants to be closed when all funding has been disbursed.

Q How does a WBC return funds to the SBA/OWBO? A Each circumstance is different. Therefore SBA/OWBO and a WBC may come to different agreements about how the agency may recoup funds when necessary.   Recoupment of funds may be achieved by: Reduction in the current year’s funding Reduction in the coming year’s funding Repayment by check to HHS

Q When the WBC has a problem, whom should you contact? A That depends on what the issue is. SBA Questions about the Notice of Award. Has my documentation of expenditure been received/approved/forwarded for payment?   Contact Carol Greenfield Grants Management Specialist for Regions 6 – 10 carol.greenfield@sba.gov (202) 205-6480 Karen Brown Grants Management Specialist for Regions 1 – 5 karen.brown@sba.gov (202) 205-7141   

HHS SBA/HHS Can’t get into the HHS Payment Management System HHS System is not functioning like you think it should HHS Password does not work WBC has an authorization email from SBA, but request for payment is denied or on hold   Contact Bhavin Patel Bhavin.Patel@psc.hhs.gov SBA/HHS If there is misinformation on the WBC’s authorization email When the WBC is changing its banking information or its EIN When the WBC is not certain about whom to call Contact Patricia Branch Patricia.Branch@sba.gov